Rangers have kept potent Artemi Panarin line intact early in training camp

There are always questions to be answered, decisions to be made and changes to explore throughout training camp, but there’s one aspect of the Rangers lineup that can be left alone. 

The line featuring Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere skated together through the first two days of training camp after lining up alongside one another in all but 10 games last season. 

It has been a foregone conclusion that those three will play together on Opening Night in Pittsburgh just under three weeks from now.

It has been since they established themselves as one of the most consistently threatening units in the NHL. 

“Nothing is set in stone, but I haven’t broken that line up yet, so I still haven’t broken it up,” coach Peter Laviolette said after conducting a grueling double session on Friday in Tarrytown. “The reason why is it’s been an effective, productive unit for us. They play off of each other well. They’re all a little bit different. They all kind of think the game the same way, and it’s proven to be successful. It just doesn’t make sense to take that into a different direction.” 

By nearly every statistic, Panarin, Trocheck and Lafreniere operated as the Rangers top line last season.

Despite joining forces in Game 11, after Filip Chytil sustained his fourth suspected concussion and was replaced by Trocheck, the trio logged 863:21 of five-on-five ice time during the regular season. 

What has been considered the first unit for years — Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and (insert player name here) — finished with 900:28.

That number only reflects the five-on-five ice time of Kreider and Zibanejad, who played on the same line together in all but one game last season. 

The Panarin line finished the regular season with 54 goals for and 39 against, in addition to a 206-163 edge in high-danger chances. In the playoffs, they totaled 11 goals for and eight against in 179:10 of five-on-five ice time. 

Whether it was just timing or circumstances, Lafreniere enjoyed a breakout 57-point campaign playing with Panarin and Trocheck. 

“I just think he can be a game-changer every game,” Panarin said of Lafreniere. “That’s what I see right now. He came in in shape, he looked pretty good on the ice. Glad to see that. I think he likes eating burgers all summer because he has success here.” 

They were an offensive juggernaut at times, exploding at key moments in games and consistently producing throughout the 2023-24 campaign. 

Despite winning the Presidents’ Trophy, not a lot of Rangers had career years last season.

All three of Panarin, Trocheck and Lafreniere did, however, with the Russian wing turning in his first ever 100-point campaign with 120. 

“That’s a good feeling, especially [with] how we played last year,” Panarin said of reuniting with his linemates. “Of course, you enjoy it. It kind of makes you closer to each other when you have a good season, a successful regular season. But I know, for all of us, it’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be harder for us this year because everyone expects more from us right now. We got to be ready. We’re going to change something, probably, in our games [to] be new this year.” 

That will be the challenge for Panarin, Trocheck and Lafreniere, who all became a focal point of opposing team’s early into their tenure together. 

Everybody knows the level they’re capable of playing at. 

Everybody knows they will play together.