Artemi Panarin loves Los Angeles—except for the taxes

Artemi Panarin is happy with his decision to join the Kings in early February. Panarin was traded by the Rangers in exchange for Liam Greentree and conditional third- and fourth-round draft picks. The forward immediately signed a two-year contract extension with Los Angeles that will pay him $11 million per year. In an article by Dan Rosen published on NHL.com, Panarin discusses his arrival with the Kings, a team that's better than he expected: “It's better than I expected. The team is better than I thought. We have good forwards, good defensemen, and good goalies. I'm excited. Hopefully we make the playoffs.”
In fact, the Russian's performance will be crucial for the Kings, who are currently fighting for a playoff spot, trailing the last-place team by one point. Since joining his new team, Panarin has recorded eight points, including two goals, in eight games.

ARTEMI PANARIN SCORES HIS FIRST GOAL WITH THE KINGS!
: @espn https://t.co/m0LyTCHYnH pic.twitter.com/U18g9CCA8d
— NHL (@NHL) March 6, 2026

The star player is also taking the time to explore his new home city, where he feels more at ease every day. The only thing making him sad right now is the taxes he has to pay in California.
Just a month and a half after his trade, Panarin is preparing for his return to Madison Square Garden as the Kings visit the Big Apple next Monday. The forward played for the Rangers from 2019 to 2026, and one wonders what kind of reception the MSG crowd will give him.
Even though he'll face the Devils and the Islanders this weekend, Panarin is already thinking about this matchup—one he would have preferred to play next season. By his own admission, Panarin needs to manage his emotions better ahead of his reunion with his former teammates:
“I'll probably try to stay calmer, but I might get nervous and that will affect my game. I'll try to handle it more intelligently. I can't wait to see the fans again.” In short, we'll see on Monday night how he performs in this game.

In Brief – He's already part of the group.

Jacob Fowler today on being recalled by the Habs:
“I feel like I'm a part of this group. I feel like I'm just rejoining the team, not this crazy call-up out of the blue. The guys are welcoming. It's great to be back with this team.” pic.twitter.com/AoW3YSyzgw
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) March 13, 2026
— The Lions' lineup.

Your Lions' lineup for tonight's game! Enjoy the game! #5YearsOfRoars | Holy Burgers pic.twitter.com/pgq9iX4p8b
— Trois-Rivières Lions (@Lions3r) March 13, 2026
– The Hart Trophy for Macklin Celebrini?

Playoffs or no playoffs, @MikeKellyNHL believes Macklin Celebrini needs to be in the Hart Trophy mix! And he has the stats to back it up! : #NHLTNFirstShift weekdays at 4 p.m. ET on NHL Network https://t.co/0ZmYt6PVQE pic.twitter.com/NqDumqHNMA — NHL Media (@NHLMedia) March 13, 2026 Is Boston interested in the defenseman?

David Pagnotta: The Flyers were close to a deal with Boston, because there was a lot of interest in Rasmus Ristolainen on that front — Campbell vs. Gallo (3/10)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) March 13, 2026