Panarin already flashing his skills in Blackhawks camp

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Artemi Panarin isn't quite ready for "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon." Nor is he ready for "Jimmy Kimmel Live" or "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."

But Panarin's new Blackhawks teammates are awfully eager for the Russian phenom to start speaking their language because, from what they understand, he can make you bust up.

"He's a really funny guy when he speaks Russian - I heard that," Teuvo Teravainen said Saturday after training camp in the Compton Family Ice Arena. "So we want to get him learning English as fast as we can."

General manager Stan Bowman signed Panarin, a forward he said possessed "dynamic skills," to a two-year contract during last season's playoff run.

Those skills have been on display in the first two days at camp as Panarin has been paired with center Teravainen and fellow Russian Viktor Tikhonov. Teravainen hit Panarin with a perfect pass late in the second period of Saturday's first scrimmage, and Panarin ripped home a shot that knotted the contest at 2-2.

The smooth-skating 23-year-old Panarin has soft hands and a great awareness on the ice. Before scoring, he set up Teravainen and Tikhonov for one-timers that didn't find their mark but nonetheless showed what he's capable of doing once he gets comfortable with his teammates, the Hawks' system and his new home.

With Tikhonov translating Saturday after the scrimmages, Panarin admitted it's "incredibly important" for him to learn English. What has impressed him the most is just how quickly the Hawks have made him feel at home.

"He didn't expect this kind of support from everyone, especially since he doesn't know the language," Tikhonov said. "A lot of guys are really trying hard and a lot of guys are even learning Russian words to tell him. He was definitely blown away."

Panarin said he is taking lessons and has told coach Joel Quenneville to give him a month to make some serious progress. Asked what he can say so far, Panarin responded: "How are you?"

Panarin, though, apparently has picked up another word or two.

"I've heard him say a few F-bombs here and there," said Tikhonov, who admitted that teaching trash talking is always the most fun. "That's before he knew what (F-bombs) meant. Now that he knows, he's a little more cautious with it."

Panarin's role on the team is not set and he could easily end up on the second line with Patrick Kane. That would make for an electric line, especially since there are some who have compared the Russian to Kane in terms of what they can do on the ice.

Not that Panarin wants to go there.

"There's no way for (me) to compare (myself) to Kane," he said. "(Comparing me) to Kane is like to get to Russia by walking."

Now, if he could just say that in English, maybe "The Tonight Show" will be calling sooner rather than later.

As for the rest of the NHL?

It looks like everybody is about to realize that when it comes to hockey, this kid is no joke.

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