Rangers’ Artemi Panarin has the freedom to be unpredictable on the ice

GREENBURGH, N.Y. – Gerard Gallant’s coaching style isn’t that complicated. All he asks of his players is to play simple, responsible hockey. Manage the puck smartly, don’t turn it over. And when you get into the offensive zone, shoot the puck. Don’t overhandle it or overpass it.

But that simple style doesn’t work so well for Artemi Panarin.

“In the beginning here, I just drove on my left (wing) side, and then lots of times played without puck,’’ Panarin said in English to a small group of reporters after practice Wednesday. “But, for my confidence, I need the puck.’’

And, he said, he needs the freedom to be unpredictable.

“I think I have to be everywhere,’’ Panarin said. “It’s harder for players who play against us because if you watch the video before the game and know what a player is going to do, it’s easier to shut him down.’’

Panarin, who leads the Rangers in scoring with 92 points (22 goals, 70 assists) is not at all easy to shut down. And Gallant, one of the favorites to win the Jack Adams Award this season as the NHL’s Coach of the Year, realizes that he needs to make an exception to his keep-it-simple mantra and let Panarin do his thing his way.

“Sometimes we get frustrated because our guys hold the puck too long, and they try to make the pretty plays,’’ Gallant said. “They did last night (in Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Winnipeg), and I’m yelling on the bench, ‘Shoot the puck! Shoot the puck!’ And then they shove it down my throat and they score a goal.’’

The play Gallant was talking about was Adam Fox’s goal that made it 2-0 at 11:47 of the third period. Panarin had the puck at the left point and was weaving and dancing and circling with it before he drifted to the right. He sent a pass back to Fox, who had started on the outside of the right circle, cut across the slot to the left circle and cut behind Panarin.

“I think, ‘Go somewhere,’ ’’ Fox said when asked what he was thinking as he watched Panarin do his thing. “I think, ‘Just try and get open. He’ll find you.’ It’s tough to know what he’s thinking, but you just move around.’’

Panarin knows that his unpredictability will sometimes lead to turnovers that create scoring chances for the other team, but he believes it is hard to be successful without taking risks.

“So sometimes you need to take a risk,’’ he said.

Panarin said early in the year, he was less willing to take risks, with a new coach and a team that was winning. But eventually, he realized he had to be himself. He had to play with style.

“I’m a player who likes to play good-looking hockey,’’ he said. “It’s good for fans, and It’s good for me too. That’s energy. What are we here for? Not for the money, right?’’

Notes & quotes: The Rangers play the Islanders Thursday for the final time this season and Gallant said he expects an intense game between the two rivals. “It’s a big rivalry,’’ he said. “Obviously you want to win every time you play them. They want to beat us every day — it doesn’t matter the situation. It doesn’t matter where we’re at in the standings, or (where) they are in the standings.’’