The New York Rangers are facing a tumultuous end to their season, having missed the NHL playoffs for the first time since the 2020-21 season after a disappointing campaign following their Presidents' Trophy win. The team, which reached the Eastern Conference Final last year, has undergone significant changes, particularly at the NHL trade deadline. General manager Chris Drury made the tough decision to trade several key players, including former captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks, Filip Chytil to the Vancouver Canucks, Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken, Ryan Lindgren to the Colorado Avalanche, and Jimmy Vesey also to the Avalanche.
As the Rangers wrapped up their season on April 17, 2025, star forward Artemi Panarin found himself at the center of a serious controversy. According to a report by Katie Strang of The Athletic, Panarin and Madison Square Garden Sports, the parent company of the Rangers, reached financial settlements with a former team employee after she alleged that Panarin sexually assaulted her during a team road trip in December 2023.
The alleged incident occurred after a game when the team gathered at their hotel. Sources indicate that Panarin took the woman's phone and told her she could only retrieve it from his hotel room. When she went to collect her phone, Panarin allegedly pinned her down on the bed. The woman managed to push him off, grab her phone, and leave the room. She did not report the incident to the authorities immediately; instead, she informed the Rangers about the assault around three months later, during a separate investigation into her conduct.
During that investigation, it was revealed that the woman had shared anti-anxiety medication with a player on the team who was anxious about flying. Following the discovery, she was placed on paid leave until the investigation concluded. It was during this time that she felt mistreated and decided to report the alleged assault to the organization.
In August 2024, the Rangers and Panarin reached settlements with the woman, which included non-disclosure agreements and no admission of wrongdoing. Both MSG Sports and the woman confirmed that “the matter has been resolved.” The NHL was made aware of the situation and stated that they consider the matter closed, although it remains unclear if Panarin faced any disciplinary action as a result of the allegations.
Artemi Panarin, in his tenth year in the NHL and sixth with the Rangers, has been a standout player for the team, consistently leading in scoring. This season, he recorded 37 goals and 52 assists, bringing his career total to 870 points. He finished fifth in the Hart Memorial Trophy voting last season, which honors the league’s most valuable player.
This isn’t the first time Panarin has faced serious allegations; back in 2021, he took a leave of absence after a Russian newspaper claimed he assaulted a woman in a Latvian bar in 2011. Panarin and the Rangers vehemently denied those allegations, calling them an intimidation tactic.
The current situation raises significant questions about how professional sports leagues handle serious off-ice accusations against their star players. While legal matters can often be settled privately, public perception and institutional responsibility remain in sharp focus.
As the Rangers look to rebuild after a disappointing season, the implications of this controversy surrounding Panarin will likely linger. The organization is now tasked with not only addressing the fallout from the missed playoffs but also managing the public relations aspects of this serious allegation against one of their top players.
With the NHL playoffs underway, the Rangers will have to navigate through the challenges of their recent history while looking ahead to the future. The team's performance next season will be closely monitored, especially in light of the significant roster changes and the ongoing discussions about Panarin's future with the franchise.
