The NY Rangers PR spin assume that the Coach released that rumor simply for political revenge. Do they know that as a fact? Maybe he’s just jealous that Panarin makes $9 million per year, while he’s making $40K per year as a KHL coach. who knows?
One thing IS obvious - the USA and Russia’s social-political climates and cancel-culture become more similar every day. The communists invented it, after all, so its not at all new to Russia, but Americans are still grappling with their new political reality.
I remembered him from the 1990s as a monster on the ice, so I looked up his profile online. Sure enough -- the dude was 6'5" and 245 pounds. I've been hit by a couple of locomotives like that in my hockey playing days. It ain't fun.
Nazarov was a first-round pick of the SJ Sharks. Highly skilled and 6' 6". Never lived up to expectations, but was also quite goonish. Not surprising he's be a Putin supporter.
He got into a huge fight with LA's even bigger uber-goon Matt Johnson, who literally rearranged Big Naz's face. That started a brawl with multiple ejections. I sat behind the Kings' penalty box at that game, when each team's box was filled with five players.