Per Larry Brooks, Artemi Panarin is taking a leave of absence from the Rangers. This leave of absence comes from a hit piece in Russia saying Panarin “beat up an 18 year old girl” in 2011.
Breaking news: Panarin is taking a leave of absence from NYR in aftermath of political hit piece against him from Russia alleging that he beat up an 18-year-old girl in Russia in 2011.
— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) February 22, 2021
Panarin’s support of Vladimir Putin’s political rival Alexei Navalny is not a surprise.