Rangers Star Joins Growing List of Preseason Injuries Across NHL

The New York Rangers are holding their breath as their star forward needs further evaluation for a preseason injury.

May 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) skates with the puck as Florida Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour (62) defends during the third period in game five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images / Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers can add themselves to the growing list of teams who have seen a star player get injured during this NHL preseason. Superstar forward Artemi Panarin left the contest after just four shifts in the first period.

According to the Rangers, Panarin suffered a lower-body injury and was removed from the game. Panarin played just 2:25 before being taken for evaluation.

Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette stated after the 5-4 win over the New Jersey Devils that Panarin was still being evaluated and there wasn’t much more to offer on a status.

The Rangers start their season in a week against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and it’s not clear if they’ll have a fully healthy lineup for puck drop. Top line defenseman Ryan Lindgren recently suffered an upper-body injury and is expected to be out for a couple of weeks.

After already losing a top defenseman, the Rangers would struggle if they also lost a top forward. Panarin is coming off of a 120-point (49G-71A) campaign in 2023-24. It was a tough race for the NHL’s MVP, but many felt Panarin was deserving and he finished fifth in Hart Trophy voting.

Panarin is looking to start his sixth season with the Rangers and hopeful to be completely healthy yet again. Panarin has played in all 82 games in each of the last two seasons.

In 672 career games between the Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Chicago Blackhawks, Panarin has scored 265 goals and 516 assists for 781 points. 461 of those points (149G-312A) have come in 350 games with the Rangers.

It’s been an absolutely brutal preseason for some of the NHL’s biggest stars. Every night it seems new injuries are popping up to key names. The Rangers are hoping for better luck than some other teams, but the injury bug is looking to take a bite out of New York already.

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