Former Chicago Blackhawks fan favorite proving he's worth every penny in New York with the Rangers

The veteran winger pushed New York past the Boston Bruins with a sharp, controlled game that showed his instincts never dulled.

He scored the opening goal, then fed Mika Zibanejad for the eventual winner with the kind of touch that once lit up United Center nights.

Panarin has surged over the last dozen games, stacking six goals and nineteen points during a stretch where his decision-making looks automatic again.

This comes in the midst of trade rumors involving Panarin and also others that are not so pretty for Rangers fans to stomach.

Including a report from a former NHL player who stated Panarin will be leaving the NHL after this season.

He added four points against Boston on Wednesday, which brought him to eight goals and eighteen assists through twenty-six games, a mark that erases any talk of an early-season lull.

Rangers fans see a player controlling the pace with rare calm, and the excitement around his consistency feels deserved.

Those reads defined his Chicago start too. Panarin scored sixty-one goals and collected ninety assists across 162 games with the Blackhawks after joining them for the 2015 season, and he produced with the same blend of poise and pace that still powers him today.

He was twenty-four when he arrived from SKA Saint Petersburg, and even then his vision looked ahead of schedule.

His age, now thirty-three, has not muted his creativity.

Instead, he looks comfortable dictating tempo, which helps teammates like Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trochek.

The Rangers want reliability from their stars, and right now Panarin provides it every night with a confidence that grows whenever he touches the puck.