NHL Club Employee Accuses Russian Hockey Player of Sexual Assault.

NHL 'Rangers' forward Artemi Panarin has been accused of sexual assault in the USA. This was reported by Glavkom citing The Athletic.

It is noted that Panarin and Madison Square Garden Sports, the company that owns the club, paid financial compensation to the team employee after she accused Panarin of sexual assault.

This was reported by sources in the NHL.

The woman left the club after reaching agreements that included non-disclosure provisions and a waiver of any admissions of wrongdoing. The agreements were made with Panarin and Madison Square Garden Sports.

Several club employees knew about the agreements and the circumstances of the woman's departure, some of them spoke about it on condition of anonymity.

According to sources, the incident occurred in December 2023 during an away game series. Panarin and the woman, who traveled with the team, were present at a post-game meeting in a hotel.

According to sources, Panarin took her phone and said he would return it only if she came to his room for it. When she arrived in the room, Panarin threw her onto the bed.

She pushed him away, took her phone, and left the room. Neither Panarin nor his agent responded to a request for comment. A MSG Sports representative stated in an email: 'The matter has been resolved.' The woman confirmed this: 'The matter has been resolved.'

'The club hired an independent law firm to conduct an external investigation, of which the league was fully informed. We consider the matter closed,' the NHL said in a statement.

There are no reports that the woman contacted law enforcement. She also did not report the incident immediately. Approximately three months after the event, she informed the club within the framework of the investigation of another incident.

The woman, whose anxiety about flying was well known in the team, shared her anti-anxiety medication with a player who was experiencing similar issues. After that, she was placed on paid leave pending the conclusion of the investigation.

Analysis

New information regarding Artemi Panarin's accusation of sexual assault creates serious consequences for his career and reputation. The compensation paid to the woman may indicate an acknowledgment of her accusations. However, the NHL claims that the matter has already been resolved, and the club hired a law firm to investigate the situation. Further investigations may lead to new circumstances and cast a shadow over the 'Rangers' forward. So far, there is no information about the woman reaching out to law enforcement.