Former Chicago Blackhawk makes life-changing announcement to the hockey world

Artemi Panarin, making waves with his stellar performance for the New York Rangers this season, is a notable name in the Hart Trophy conversations.

The Russian forward leads his team's scoring chart with an impressive 51 points, tallying 23 goals and 28 assists in just 36 games.

Recently, Panarin shared the touching reason behind his refusal from this year's All-Star Game.

In a candid video on Rangers' social media, the forward announced that he and his wife are expecting their second child.

Expressing his excitement for this upcoming moment, Panarin said:

Here's why Artemi can't go to All-Star 🥹 - but he says "PLEASE RETWEET NOW TO VOTE FOR MY TEAMMATES ⤵️"#NHLAllStarvote
Mika Zibanejad
Chris Kreider
Alexis Lafreniere
Vincent Trocheck
Jacob Trouba
Adam Fox pic.twitter.com/nF6acTnrVw— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) January 5, 2024

The revelation surprised NHL fans, as the Rangers' representative for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game turned out to be their goaltender, Igor Shesterkin. Despite Panarin's remarkable season, he graciously acknowledged his family commitment.

Currently ranking fourth in the league's points race, trailing behind Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon, and Connor McDavid, Panarin's impact on the Rangers' success is undeniable. The team holds a commendable second position in the league and secures the top spot in their division with a notable 26-10-1 record.

For those curious about Panarin's personal life, his wife is Alisa Znarok, a Latvian fashion model.

Born on April 14, 1993, in Latvia, Alisa has connections to Russian hockey through her father, Oleg Znarok, a former player and coach of the Russian national hockey team.

The couple, reportedly dating since 2018, got engaged on August 5, 2019, according to The SportsLite.