Artemi Panarin comes back to the Blackhawks with a milestone on the line

The Chicago Blackhawks face off against the New York Rangers tonight at the United Center, for one former Blackhawk, Artemi Panarin, there is one important milestone on the line.

Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers is currently sitting at 499 points on the year. While it is not a guarantee that he hits the mark tonight it does seem likely, considering during the team’s last matchup on Saturday he got three points. Panarin and the Rangers have been resting since Saturday and come to Chicago looking for two points in the standings.

Panarin spent the first two seasons of his NHL career with the Blackhawks and during that time he had a very fun friendship with Patrick Kane. The two had some great chemistry and had some amazing highlight reel goals through the two years in Chicago.

The team traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets following the 2016-17 season when the team was swept by the Nashville Predators. That will always be remembered as one of Stan Bowman’s worst trades as Panarin for Saad did not work out for the Hawks as the trade tree ended with Nikita Zadorov.

Here are Artemi Panarin’s stats through the first 456 games of his career:

The chance to register his 500th point tonight in the stadium that started his career is really bittersweet for fans as it still stings to see him in a different jersey.

To honor the night, take a look at the first point Artemi Panarin ever had in the NHL, it came on the first night of the season in October of 2015, and oh year it came against the New York Rangers of all teams.

Kind of cool that he registered his first point against the team he is currently on and he has an opportunity to register his 500th against his former team. You will never guess what team he recorded his first hattrick against, yep the New York Rangers as well in 2016.

Tonight’s game is going to be exciting. I am heading to my first game of the season as a fan and I cannot wait to be back in the building for a matchup at the United Center, the opportunity to see Panarin register his 500th point hopefully in a 5-1 Blackhawks win is going to be great – hey I said hopefully.