Thirty goals as an NHL rookie usually belong to a first-round pick. Artemi Panarin got there as an undrafted winger from Russia who arrived in Chicago without the usual draft spotlight and immediately looked like he belonged.
That unlikely route is still the most interesting part of his story. Panarin did not come through the NHL pipeline in the standard way, but once he reached North America, he produced like a top-line star almost everywhere he played. His game has long been built on touch, timing and vision: a right-shot left wing who sees seams early and can finish chances himself when defenders lean too hard toward the pass.
Early years in Korkino and Chelyabinsk
Panarin was born on October 30, 1991, in Korkino, in what was then the Russian SFSR of the Soviet Union. He grew up in a hockey environment shaped less by glamour than by routine. Much of that routine came through the Traktor system in Chelyabinsk, where he trained heavily from a young age.
Family mattered in that development. Panarin was raised in large part by his maternal grandparents, and his grandfather, an amateur hockey player, helped steer him toward the sport. That background shows up in the way his career unfolded: not as a straight line to fame, but as a long climb built on work and patience.
He was never an NHL draft darling. In fact, he was passed over entirely. That detail has followed him throughout his career because it makes the rest of the résumé stand out even more.
Building a pro game in the KHL
Before the NHL knew him as Breadman, Panarin spent years sharpening his offensive game in Russia. He played in the KHL with Vityaz Chekhov, had a brief stint with Ak Bars Kazan, and then found his footing with SKA Saint Petersburg.
His best KHL season came in 2014-15. Playing for SKA, he scored 26 goals and added 36 assists for 62 points in 54 games, was named to the KHL First All-Star Team, appeared in the KHL All-Star Game, and helped the club win the Gagarin Cup. By then, he was no longer just an intriguing undrafted talent. He was a proven scorer coming off a championship season.
That breakout created the opening for a move to North America.
Chicago: instant impact, Calder Trophy, and the Breadman nickname
The Blackhawks signed Panarin on April 29, 2015, and his transition to the NHL was fast. In 2015-16, he played 80 games, scored 30 goals and finished with 77 points. He clicked quickly in Chicago’s attack, especially alongside Patrick Kane, and looked far more polished than most rookies.
The league noticed. Panarin won the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL rookie of the year and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. For a player who had gone undrafted and was adapting to a new country and language, it was an unusually sharp debut.
His second season in Chicago confirmed the first was no fluke. In 2016-17, he played all 82 games and posted 31 goals and 74 points. On November 9, 2016, he recorded the first Gordie Howe hat trick of his NHL career, with a goal, an assist and a fight.
Chicago also moved quickly on his contract. On December 26, 2016, Panarin signed a two-year extension worth $12 million.
That period is also when his best-known nickname stuck. Teammates began calling him “Breadman,” a play on Panera Bread, and the shorter “Bread” followed. One oft-repeated story from those years held that Panarin reportedly bought Kane a luxury watch after contract bonuses were reached. It has long circulated as a Chicago anecdote, though it is best treated as a reported clubhouse story rather than a career-defining fact.
Columbus: a trade that changed his path
On June 23, 2017, the Blackhawks traded Panarin and Tyler Motte to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Brandon Saad, Anton Forsberg and a draft pick. It was one of the more significant deals of that offseason, and it pushed Panarin into a new role: no longer the exciting newcomer in Chicago, but a central offensive piece on a different club.
He handled that shift well. In his first season with Columbus, Panarin played all 82 games and recorded 27 goals and 82 points. He followed that with 28 goals and 87 points in 79 games in 2018-19, earning NHL Second All-Star Team honors.
Those Columbus seasons mattered. They showed his production was not tied to one team or one setup. He could drive offense in a new environment and remain one of the league’s most creative wings.
New York: big contract, bigger stage
Free agency brought the next major turn. On July 1, 2019, Panarin signed a seven-year, $81.5 million contract with the New York Rangers, carrying an average annual value of roughly $11.64 million.
His first Rangers season was outstanding. In 2019-20, he had 32 goals and 95 points in 69 games, finishing among the league’s most productive forwards. During that season, he set a pair of early Rangers benchmarks: on January 9, 2020, he became the first player in franchise history to reach 60 points in his first 43 games with the club; four days later, he became the first Ranger to post six three-point games within a nine-game span.
He was named to the NHL First All-Star Team for that season, and his New York run kept building from there. Panarin remained one of the Rangers’ offensive engines for years, combining high assist totals with enough finishing touch to keep defenses guessing.
Among the honors from that stretch: NHL Second All-Star Team recognition in 2023, an NHL All-Star Game selection in 2023, and a return to the NHL First All-Star Team in 2024.
His most productive regular season came in 2023-24, when he played 82 games and put up 49 goals and 120 points, both career highs in the NHL. It was the clearest version yet of the player he had become: not just a gifted passer, but a complete top-line threat.
In 2024-25, he followed with 37 goals and 89 points in 80 games. On April 17, 2025, he was voted the Rangers’ team MVP and also received the club’s Good Guy Award.
International play with Russia
Panarin also built a solid international résumé with Russia. He played at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship, where Russia won gold.
At the senior level, he represented his country at the IIHF World Championship in 2015 and 2016. Russia took silver in 2015 and bronze in 2016, adding more medals to a career that had already featured major club success in both Russia and the NHL.
What makes Artemi Panarin different on the ice
Some scorers overwhelm games with speed or power. Panarin’s style is more surgical.
He plays left wing but shoots right, which opens passing and shooting angles that can be awkward for defenders to read. His best quality has always been his vision. He spots late-arriving options, delays just long enough to move coverage, and can thread pucks through traffic without needing many touches.
That creativity is the constant across every stop in his career. The KHL numbers hinted at it. Chicago introduced it to the NHL. Columbus proved it traveled. New York turned it into nightly expectation.
He has also been a durable producer. Multiple 30-goal seasons, heavy assist totals and repeated All-Star recognition all point to the same thing: Panarin has spent a long time driving offense at a top-line level.
Off the ice: family roots, public controversies, and personality
Away from the rink, Panarin’s story is still tied closely to his upbringing. His grandfather’s influence is a recurring part of how his early life is described, and the demanding training years in Chelyabinsk remain central to understanding the player he became.
His public image in North America has often mixed that serious background with lighter details. “Breadman” is one of the NHL’s more recognizable nicknames, and it has followed him from his Chicago days through the rest of his career.
There have also been more serious episodes.
In February 2021, Panarin took a leave of absence from the Rangers after a Russian newspaper published allegations about an incident in Latvia in 2011. Panarin denied the allegations, and the Rangers said they believed he was being targeted because of his public criticism of Russian president Vladimir Putin. Reports at the time described the matter as politically charged, and Panarin returned after the leave. Because the claim was disputed, it should not be stated as established fact.
A separate matter became public later when a former Rangers employee accused Panarin of sexual assault during a road trip, according to published reporting. Reports said Panarin and MSG Sports reached settlements with the accuser that included non-disclosure agreements, and the NHL later said it considered the matter closed after an independent investigation. As with any allegation, the distinction between accusation, settlement and formal finding matters.
Panarin has also been notable as one of the relatively few high-profile Russian hockey players to speak publicly against Putin, a stance that drew attention well beyond hockey.
FAQ
What is Artemi Panarin’s nickname?
He is widely known as “Breadman,” often shortened to “Bread.”
Was Artemi Panarin drafted into the NHL?
No. He went undrafted before signing with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015.
Which teams has Artemi Panarin played for in the NHL?
He has played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers.
What major NHL award has Artemi Panarin won?
He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year for the 2015-16 season.
What position does Artemi Panarin play?
He is a left wing and shoots right.
Has Artemi Panarin represented Russia internationally?
Yes. He won gold at the 2011 World Juniors and later earned silver and bronze at the IIHF World Championship.
