But Seriously, How Good Is Panarin?

[RangersIn7]

They all look different.

And with few exceptions, it’s for the better. 
 

I think this all plays out well.

Yes, there will be down swings.

Peaks and valleys are real. There’s only a handful of teams EVER that haven’t experienced them.

 

But you can only look at where it is thus far, and it’s in a good place.

[Pete]

He was great for 2 years under Quinn, he was awesome but unreliable for 2 years under Gallant.

 

Now he's back.

 

Let's stop trying to blame the player because we don't want to admit that coaching matters. Coaching matters and we're seeing it in front of our faces. Just acknowledge it. 

[Br4d]

31 minutes ago, Pete said:

He was great for 2 years under Quinn, he was awesome but unreliable for 2 years under Gallant.

 

Now he's back.

 

Let's stop trying to blame the player because we don't want to admit that coaching matters. Coaching matters and we're seeing it in front of our faces. Just acknowledge it. 

 

As Brooks said above the Panarin we are seeing right now has never played in the NHL before.  He clearly got a gas-fire lit under him this off-season and has come back charging.

 

The interesting thing is it is rubbing off on Lafreniere also.  Panarin is the perfect linemate for Lafreniere right now because he's always on the move, taking any shot he sees and absolutely convinced he can't be stopped.

 

As Brooks pointed out he's on a 55g, 142 point pace right now which is basically Connor McDavid incarnate.

[Pete]

9 minutes ago, Br4d said:

 

As Brooks said above the Panarin we are seeing right now has never played in the NHL before.  He clearly got a gas-fire lit under him this off-season and has come back charging.

 

The interesting thing is it is rubbing off on Lafreniere also.  Panarin is the perfect linemate for Lafreniere right now because he's always on the move, taking any shot he sees and absolutely convinced he can't be stopped.

 

As Brooks pointed out he's on a 55g, 142 point pace right now which is basically Connor McDavid incarnate.

Well Brooks also guaranteed a decline, it was inevitable, so pardon me if I don't buy his evaluation. 

 

Maybe the gas under him is coming from the coach?

 

Just something to consider. 

[BrooksBurner]

What Panarin is doing has nothing to do with coaching. He didn’t shave his head to “remove evil forces” because of coaching. Nor did he dedicate an entire offseason to being this completely different version of himself because of coaching. His play and approach transcends coaching.

[BrooksBurner]

1 minute ago, Pete said:

Well Brooks also guaranteed a decline, it was inevitable, so pardon me if I don't buy his evaluation. 

 

Maybe the gas under him is coming from the coach?

 

Just something to consider. 

 

[Pete]

1 minute ago, BrooksBurner said:

What Panarin is doing has nothing to do with coaching. He didn’t shave his head to “remove evil forces” because of coaching. Nor did he dedicate an entire offseason to being this completely different version of himself because of coaching. His play and approach transcends coaching.

You're right, clearly shaving his head is the reason he's lighting the league on fire. That's much more believable than coaching. 

 

Sure.

 

Sure. 

[BrooksBurner]

Just now, Pete said:

You're right, clearly shaving his head is the reason he's lighting the league on fire. That's much more believable than coaching. 

 

Sure.

 

Sure. 

Yes it was clearly about the action itself, and nothing about the mindset behind it

 

[phillyb]

I mean, when Pete says it like that, it’s hard not to laugh at that juxtaposition lol. 

Is Panarin on fire because he shaved his head or because a new coach is in town? You decide. 
 

 

[Pete]

3 minutes ago, phillyb said:

I mean, when Pete says it like that, it’s hard not to laugh at that juxtaposition lol. 

Is Panarin on fire because he shaved his head or because a new coach is in town? You decide. 
 

 

When somebody who was against the coaching change goes so balls to the wall that it has nothing to do with coaching, you can be pretty sure coaching is the biggest thing that's different here. 

 

Also they brought back 90% of the team but a whole new coaching staff sans Allaire... Literally the only tangible difference is coaching. So to completely discount that coaching has anything to do with what's happening here is just naive.

 

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by Pete

[jsm7302]

23 minutes ago, Pete said:

When somebody who was against the coaching change goes so balls to the wall that it has nothing to do with coaching, you can be pretty sure coaching is the biggest thing that's different here. 

 

Also they brought back 90% of the team but a whole new coaching staff sans Allaire... Literally the only tangible difference is coaching. So to completely discount that coaching has anything to do with what's happening here is just naive.

 

 

+100.... Dude could've reinvented himself, his first no show playoff performance but he didnt. A 30 something year old is not changing his game on his own. Coaching is changing his game and a willingness to be different on his part. I think it's fair to give props to the coaches giving him the tools to be successful and also crediting his willingness to implement it. The shaved head and firing the hiring staff all worked in harmony together for a new step in the right direction. Shaved head with Gallant does not get these results though, let's be clear.

[Pete]

1 minute ago, jsm7302 said:

Shaved head with Gallant does not get these results though, let's be clear.

Correct. Even if Panarin went through some type of self-rediscovery over the summer and came back reinvigorated, none of it would matter if he and the rest of the team wasn't being coached. 

[Ozzy]

He's playing at a totally different level this season.  If it's me, I'm pointing to Lavvy for the motivation, and the structure, but I'm giving Panarin full marks on digging down and simply finding his inner fire to motivate his stellar play.

 

This is what I call an ELITE player! 

[Br4d]

1 hour ago, Pete said:

Well Brooks also guaranteed a decline, it was inevitable, so pardon me if I don't buy his evaluation. 

 

Maybe the gas under him is coming from the coach?

 

Just something to consider. 

 

He never guaranteed a decline.  He said a decline was more likely than not and that was the truth going into the '23-'24 season.

 

The gas is only coming from the coach if the coach asked him to shave his head in the off-season.

[BrooksBurner]

The argument is akin to saying Jay Woodcroft unlocked McDavid last year. Woodcroft just got fired.

 

If only that bum coach Joel Q could have unlocked Panarin in Chicago earlier. Or Torts in Columbus.

 

It’s almost like severely underperforming for 3 playoffs in a row as the 2nd highest paid player in the league might have broken him into trying a different approach that he should have tried many years ago.

[BrooksBurner]

By the way, it’s the same reason I’m not pointing the finger at Laviolette for Zibanejad or Kakko. He deserves credit for other things, but cherry picking on an individual basis to suit a narrative is hog wash.

[Ozzy]

I don't care if he sold his soul to the devil...

 

He's been absolutely great so far this season!

[RJWantsTheCup]

 Nobody can definitively say why Panarin is on fire right now.  It’s more than likely a combination of things.  Let’s just enjoy it while he’s playing at this level and not get too down on him when he cools off.  

[RangersIn7]

It’s two fold

 

Yes, he’s definitely benefiting from the new staff.

 

But he’s also heard all the stuff about the postseason and clearly he wants to prove people wrong. 

[Br4d]

13 minutes ago, BrooksBurner said:

By the way, it’s the same reason I’m not pointing the finger at Laviolette for Zibanejad or Kakko. He deserves credit for other things, but cherry picking on an individual basis to suit a narrative is hog wash.

 

Zibanejad and Kakko are east-west type players and while the team may be built around that type of player the coaching is clearly north-south and most players are making the adjustment.

 

Also, Fox is injured right now and he probably supports Zibanejad better than any other Ranger because he's very good at the cycling game that Zibanejad prefers.

Edited November 19, 2023 by Br4d

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

He’s better than he’s ever been, if it’s mainly because of him or the coach I don’t know, but I give him a lot of credit for his play so far. He’s doing what we’ve all asked him to do - shoot the puck.
 

I’ll spare the debates for after the playoffs, right now I’m just enjoying the Hartemi show.

[Br4d]

1 minute ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

He’s better than he’s ever been, if it’s mainly because of him or the coach I don’t know, but I give him a lot of credit for his play so far. He’s doing what we’ve all asked him to do - shoot the puck.
 

I’ll spare the debates for after the playoffs, right now I’m just enjoying the Hartemi show.

 

He's doing two things differently this season:

 

1.  He's living in the slot.

 

2.  He's taking every shot he can from there.

 

I think putting him with Lafreniere actually helped because I've noticed they both are on the LW at times and Panarin is the guy who peels off and goes to center ice. 

[Pete]

1 hour ago, BrooksBurner said:

The argument is akin to saying Jay Woodcroft unlocked McDavid last year. Woodcroft just got fired.

 

If only that bum coach Joel Q could have unlocked Panarin in Chicago earlier. Or Torts in Columbus.

 

It’s almost like severely underperforming for 3 playoffs in a row as the 2nd highest paid player in the league might have broken him into trying a different approach that he should have tried many years ago.

In a move that McDavid himself said had nothing to do with him losing the players, and a move the NHL is universally decrying as a pathetic job by Edmonton Management.

 

If that's your only proof point, you're only proving me right. 

[Pete]

1 hour ago, BrooksBurner said:

By the way, it’s the same reason I’m not pointing the finger at Laviolette for Zibanejad or Kakko. He deserves credit for other things, but cherry picking on an individual basis to suit a narrative is hog wash.

But you are pointing the finger at him for Kakko and Zib LOL. Way to walk it back. 

[Pete]

1 hour ago, Br4d said:

 

He never guaranteed a decline.  He said a decline was more likely than not and that was the truth going into the '23-'24 season.

 

The gas is only coming from the coach if the coach asked him to shave his head in the off-season.

This is where we have to cut this debate off, because that's absolutely ridiculous statement. You are literally giving credit for the change to a shaved head.

 

The fact that you guys just can't say you had it wrong about the coach is just sad.