Four of Artemi Panarin’s former KHL teammates told The Post that they find the allegations against the Rangers star by his KHL coach hard to believe and none of them can remember the incident.
The allegations, broadcast on a Russian tabloid Monday by former Vityaz coach Andrei Nazarov, have forced Panarin to distance himself from the NHL. All four players were teammates of the winger under Nazarov, who claims that Panarin beat up an 18-year-old girl at a party at a hotel bar in Riga, Latvia, after a loss on the road in Vityaz on December 11, 2011.
Nazarov, a noted supporter of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, has repeatedly criticized Panarin for the 29-year-old Russian native’s outspoken beliefs about Putin’s regime. In addition, Nazarov once also called for the imprisonment of foreign players who criticize Russia.
Jon Mirasty, who was reachable by phone Tuesday afternoon, said his former coach’s allegations seem “really strange” and that he has never heard any rumors of such an incident.
[Panarin] was a great boy, I have nothing but nice things to say about him, so when I heard that, I thought, ‘Oh, that doesn’t sound like him’, ”Mirasty, a Canadian winger, told The Post. “And I’m pretty sure I would have heard something like that, you know, as one of the older experienced players out there.
“I’ve never heard anything like it, so I was kind of blown away. I’m clearly not saying it didn’t happen, but if I guess, [it didn’t happen]And why is it coming out ten years later? “
Mirasty said he had a lot of respect for Nazarov, having played 16 seasons in the NHL (with the Sharks, Lightning, Flames, Ducks, Coyotes and Wild) and was an established coach in the KHL.
“He treated me well, he was clearly an ex-tough guy, and played at the NHL level at the time,” said Mirasty. “He was always really good to us, and it was a bit of a strange year for us there because there were very few of us who were all Canadian guys and we didn’t speak a word of Russian.
“We really had a relationship with him because he spoke English quite well and I have nothing bad to say about him either. That’s why I find all of this really shocking. “
However, Mirasty questioned the timeline of the accusations, noting that he had seen Panarin speaking out publicly against Putin’s regime. Panarin showed support for Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in an Instagram post last month.
“I don’t even think Panarin can even beat up a girl,” Mirasty said. “He was a small skinny kid and he was always just smiling, making people laugh, and he was a great hockey player. It just doesn’t make sense for me. “
Kip Brennan, a Canadian who briefly played for the Islanders, was reached by a Facebook messenger on Tuesday afternoon and said he knew nothing of Panarin’s involvement in a physical altercation with a woman during the season they played together.
“I didn’t know or hear anything like that ever happened,” said Brennan, who played parts of five seasons in the NHL and played three games for the Islanders in 2007-08.
“He was a great guy, he was hilarious in the locker room. He always worked on his English with the North American boys and was a very talented young player. “
Two other former teammates, who asked to remain anonymous, agreed with Mirastie and Brennan’s views on the situation.
“I just know Artemi as a really happy, funny guy,” said one. “Always had a smile on his face on the rink and was a good team mate.”