NHL Star Artemi Panarin Faces Sexual Assault Allegations, Settlement Details Emerge
Sarah Johnson
April 18, 2025
Brief
Artemi Panarin and MSG Sports settled a sexual assault allegation by a former New York Rangers employee with no admission of wrongdoing. NHL considers the matter closed.
New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin and Madison Square Garden Sports paid a financial settlement last year to resolve a sexual assault allegation brought by a former team employee, according to a report by The Athletic.
The employee claimed Panarin assaulted her in a hotel room during a road trip in December 2023. The incident allegedly followed a post-game gathering with players and staff. As described in the report, Panarin is said to have taken the woman’s phone, telling her she could retrieve it from his hotel room. Once there, she alleges Panarin pinned her down on the bed, though she managed to push him off, recover her phone, and leave.
The settlement, finalized between the woman, Panarin, and MSG Sports, included non-disclosure clauses and specified there was no admission of wrongdoing. The woman, who was not named, subsequently left her position with the organization. "The matter has been resolved," she stated, keeping any further specifics sealed tight.
The NHL and Rangers both confirmed an outside law firm was hired for an independent investigation, with the league kept in the loop. "We consider the matter closed," read the NHL’s statement. However, neither the league nor the Rangers clarified whether Panarin faced any disciplinary action as a result.
Despite the allegations, Panarin continued to play a leading role for the Rangers. He was in the midst of a stellar season, racking up 49 goals and 120 points in 2023-2024, and played every single game. This year, he’s scored 37 goals and earned 89 points over 79 games. The team just named him MVP for the 2024-2025 season and, somewhat ironically, the media awarded him the Good Guy Award for his accountability and cooperation. Sometimes, reality just writes its own punchlines.
The Rangers wrap up their regular season Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, though there’s no word yet if Panarin will take the ice. Head coach Peter Laviolette declined to comment on his lineup decisions for the game.
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Editor's Comments
It’s hard not to notice the awkward timing: Panarin gets a Good Guy Award just as a previously confidential sexual assault settlement hits headlines. Talk about a PR headache for everyone involved. And while the league and team seem eager to close the book, the public rarely finds closure quite so easily—especially when the question of discipline just gets swept under the rug.
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