Artemi Panarin broke from the comfort of his Russian interpreter to answer a question in English, making a rather heartfelt declaration at the Garden on Tuesday in his first public appearance as a member of the Rangers.
“I’m sure I’m home,” Panarin said, with his signature smile and the brown curls springing off his head in an uncontrolled tangle.
The 27-year-old is the newest member of the Blueshirts, signing his blockbuster seven-year, $81.5 million deal on the opening of free agency Monday afternoon. His annual salary-cap hit of just over $11.6 million represents more than just a monetary investment, but a shot in the arm for an organization that is in the midst of building from the ground up in rather accelerated fashion.