Thu Apr 17 18:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Rangers Star Panarin, MSG Settle Sexual Assault Claim
**New York, NY** – New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin and Madison Square Garden Sports (MSG) reached undisclosed settlements with a former team employee who alleged Panarin sexually assaulted her in December 2023, according to multiple sources. The woman, whose identity is being withheld by The Athletic, left the organization in August 2024 after the settlements were reached, which included non-disclosure agreements and contained no admission of guilt from either party.
The alleged assault occurred during a Rangers road trip at a post-game gathering. Sources claim Panarin allegedly withheld the woman’s phone, demanding she retrieve it from his hotel room. Upon entering his room, she alleges he pinned her to the bed before she escaped. Neither Panarin nor his agent responded to requests for comment, while MSG stated only that “the matter has been resolved.” The NHL also confirmed an independent investigation was conducted and that the “matter is closed.”
The woman did not initially report the incident to law enforcement or the team. She disclosed the alleged assault approximately three months later during an internal investigation into a separate incident involving the sharing of medication. Following her disclosure, team executives held a meeting warning staff not to discuss the situation.
Panarin, who led the Rangers in scoring at the time of the allegation, was named team MVP for the 2024-25 season. The NHL and Rangers have not disclosed whether Panarin faced any disciplinary action. This is not the first time Panarin has faced allegations of misconduct; in 2021, he took a leave of absence after a Russian newspaper published allegations of a physical altercation with a woman in Latvia. These allegations were denied by the Rangers.
The settlements, while resolving the matter for the involved parties, raise concerns about the handling of sexual assault allegations within professional sports.
First Piper 