Artemi Panarin

Artemi Panarin (born on October 30, 1991 in Korkino, Russia) is a Russian professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL.

Playing Career[]

KHL Career[]

Panarin wasn't selected in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft and he began his professional hockey career in the Kontinental Hockey League with HC Vityaz. Midway through the 2012–13 season, he was traded by Vityaz after producing 18 points in 40 games to SKA Saint Petersburg in exchange for a draft pick on January 31, 2013.

He tallied 26 goals and 62 points in 54 appearances for St. Petersburg during the 2014–15 season and played a significant role in the team's championship run, registering 20 points in 20 postseason games. Artemi was named to the KHL first all-star team in 2014–15.

NHL Career[]

On April 29, 2015, Panarin signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. He scored his first career NHL goal against Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers in the first game for the Blackhawks.

On February 17, 2016, he scored his first career NHL hat trick against the New York Rangers. He appeared in 80 games for the Blackhawks during the 2015–16 season, during which he recorded 30 goals and 47 assists.

Panarin led all rookies with 77 points, which also ranked within top ten among all skaters for the season. He found instant chemistry with Patrick Kane and fellow-Russian Artem Anisimov on the Blackhawks’ second line. Kane (who was the NHL’s MVP and leading scorer in the 2015–16 season) cited him as a major contributor to his success.

On April 15, 2016, Panarin scored his first NHL playoff goal in game two of the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs against the St. Louis Blues. During the playoffs, he had a total of seven points.

Panarin was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL's top rookie, at the 2016 NHL Awards on June 22, 2016. He was also awarded the 2015–16 Kharlamov Trophy (which is given to the best professional Russian hockey player by the Russian Hall of Fame).

On November 9, 2016, Panarin got his first Gordie Howe hat trick. On December 28, 2016, the Blackhawks agreed to a two-year contract extension with him worth $12 million.

International Playing Career[]

Junior[]

Panarin was part of the Russian men's under 20 team that won a gold medal at the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Russia was trailing Canada 3-0 in third period of the championship game. With 17:27 left on the clock in the third period Panarin would make it 3-1, igniting a comeback.

With 4:38 left in the game, Panarin would go on to score the game-winning goal which is considered the greatest comeback victory in the history of World Junior Championships, trailing 3-0 after two periods in the gold medal game, to win 5-3.

Senior[]

Panarin made his senior team debut in one of the rounds of EuroHockeyTour in the 2013-14 season.

He was selected to the top senior squad for Russia's hockey team in the 2015 IIHF World Championship, earning a silver medal. He recorded up 10 points in 10 games. He also played in the 2016 IIHF World Championship, where Russia earned a bronze medal.

Early in the tournament coach Oleg Znarok formed a highly productive line of Panarin (who had six goals and nine assists) and his former SKA Saint Petersburg teammates Vadim Shipachyov (who had six goals and 12 assists) and Evgenii Dadonov (who had six goals and seven assists). Panarin, Shipachyov and Dadonov finished as the top three scorers of the tournament.

Panarin represented Russia at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Career Statistics[]

Regular season and playoffs[]

			Regular Season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2008–09	Vityaz Chekhov	KHL	5	0	1	1	2	—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Russkie Vityazi	MHL	38	20	24	44	55	3	1	2	3	0
2009–10	Vityaz Chekhov	KHL	20	1	8	9	16	—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Russkie Vityazi	MHL	13	5	12	17	22	—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Vityaz Chekhov	KHL	40	5	16	21	8	—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Vityaz Chekhov	KHL	38	12	14	26	49	—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Ak Bars Kazan	KHL	12	1	4	5	4	4	0	0	0	0
2012–13	Vityaz Chekhov	KHL	40	11	7	18	22	—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL	3	0	1	1	2	14	2	7	9	0
2013–14	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL	51	20	20	40	30	4	0	0	0	2
2014–15	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL	54	26	36	62	37	20	5	15	20	4
2015–16	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	80	30	47	77	32	7	2	5	7	14
2016–17	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	82	31	43	74	21	4	0	1	1	0
KHL totals			263	76	107	183	170	42	7	22	29	6
NHL totals			162	61	90	151	53	11	2	6	8	14

International

Year	Team	Event	Result	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011	Russia	WJC	Template:Gold1	7	3	2	5	4
2015	Russia	WC	Template:Sica	10	5	5	10	4
2016	Russia	WC	Template:Brca	10	6	9	15	4
Junior totals				7	3	2	5	4
Senior totals				20	11	14	25	8

Personal Life[]

Panarin was born and raised in Korkino, Russia. Growing up, he developed an early interest in ice skating. His maternal grandfather (who ws a former amateur hockey player), encouraged Panarin to play hockey when he was 5 years old & helped train Panarin and would often drive him to hockey tournaments in Tyumen.

Panarin attended the Traktor Ice Hockey school in Chelyabinsk where he trained six days a week for six months a year.

In August 2015, Panarin moved to the United States after joining the Chicago Blackhawks. At the time, he did not speak English at the time & moved in with a Russian-born family who were Chicago residents where they helped him transition to his new surroundings & culture.

Panarin also has a personal translator who helps him conduct interviews before and after games. His fellow Russian teammates Viktor Tikhonov (who briefly played with the Blackhawks in 2015) and Artem Anisimov also helped him understand English while playing hockey.

Panarin was affectionately nicknamed the "Bread Man" (which is a reference to the Panera Bread restaurant chain) by his teammates and coaches on the Blackhawks.