EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Rangers coach Gerard Gallant did his media briefing while wearing a mask, so it wasn’t possible to see if he was grinning ear-to-ear. But, yes, he was definitely happy to see Artemi Panarin practicing with the team Sunday.
"It was great to see him back, for sure,’’ Gallant said about getting Panarin back after the Russian forward missed four games while in COVID-19 protocol. "He was excited. He feels real good. Obviously, he's a key player for us, so it’s good to have him back.’’
But just after Gallant welcomed Panarin back to the team, the coach had to go away.