Tom Lynn tried to let his client Artemi Panarin know what to expect in his first NHL season.
It was just before the Blackhawks’ training camp last season. Panarin had spent his entire career and life in Russia. He knew a few words of English and had only played on North American ice a few times. Everything he was about to experience was foreign to him. But when Lynn, his agent, went to tell Panarin what to expect and provide a bit of a pep talk, Panarin had no interest.
“He just looked at me, ‘Yeah, I want to get on the ice.