Exploring unique bond between Hawks' Kane, Panarin

It's a friendship that in many ways defies the odds.

The well-documented past of Patrick Kane coming together with the devoutly religious Artemi Panarin almost certainly only happened because they are two of the best hockey players on the planet.

Playing on the same team. On the same line. And making history in the process.

Good friends they have become. Brothers, even, according to Kane.

“We have our days where we're best friends and our days where we fight with each other,” Kane said. “But it's good. It's all healthy.”

Kane and Panarin immediately connected this season — on and off the ice. Their brotherhood grows by bits and pieces. Kane loves Panarin's sense of humor and often refers to him as a “funny kid.”

The two have gone out for meals a few times while on the road, and while communication is still difficult while Panarin struggles to learn and speak English, Kane said Panarin will pull out his “Google translate” to help move the conversation along.

“I understand a lot now,” Panarin said. “I still don't know how to put words together, but we understand each other.”

Thrown a curve

Ever since the Blackhawks waived Panarin's good friend Viktor Tikhonov in December, the winger hasn't been the same around the media.

The smiles, the funny one-liners, the little jabs at Kane, the little jabs at himself — they disappeared.

Until two weeks ago, when Panarin finally let down his guard. Twice.

The first time came when reporters asked him how he busted out of a slump with a pair of back-to-back 4-point games.

With a smirk, Panarin said: “Kane woke up.”

The second came when I asked if he was aware of how close he was to achieving a $1.725 million bonus for finishing among the top 10 forwards in scoring.

“Since you (reporters) started talking about his bonus, he didn't score any goals,” translator Stan Stiopkin said, eliciting loud laughs from the reporters forming a semicircle around Panarin.

Those were two of the first good laughs we've had with Panarin since Tikhonov left. Panarin was so at ease, so funny … so himself with Tikhonov acting as his translator, which should come as no surprise considering how close they became over the past three years.

In talking with Panarin little by little over the past month, it has become obvious what kind of person the Blackhawks brought into their organization. And we're not talking about what this 24-year-old does on the ice, which is magical at times.

No, this is a deeply religious young man who is extremely generous with his time, talent and gifts off the ice. His Russian Orthodox faith was fostered by his grandparents, and he carried it to the United States, where he doesn't flaunt it but is willing to share his story with those who ask.

When he played in Russia, Panarin attended a church service on each game day. And while that's not possible here — the main Chicago-area Orthodox church is in Des Plaines — Panarin prays at home as often as possible.

Panarin also makes the sign of the cross before every period, and does so in front of the religious icon he keeps in his locker. Jesus is on one side, Mary on the other.

“It's a Russian custom to keep an icon in your house and it should be in front of you all the time,” Panarin said. “I'm not trying to make a big deal of this, but I'm just trying to follow custom. It helps me.”

Walking the walk

What happens behind the scenes — with no fanfare or media coverage — goes a long way in determining a person's character. That's why what Panarin and a girlfriend did for sick children in a Russian hospital last year is so impressive.

He did it without any cameras or tape recorders to chronicle his charity. He did it simply to make others feel better.

“I feel the pain of these people who are suffering from illnesses,” Panarin said. “I feel good about the people who I make happier.”

Tikhonov recently recalled Panarin's incredible thoughtfulness.

“Him and his girlfriend at the time just went to a toy store,” Tikhonov said. “I don't remember how much they spent — like $1,000 or something.

“Just got bags and bags of toys and picked a random kids hospital and delivered presents. Spent the day with them. That was it — no cameras or nothing. …

“It's pretty amazing and pretty cool that he has the thought to do that — to think of other people that way.”

While that gesture made a great day for those children, it may pale in comparison to another example of Panarin's generosity Tikhonov recalls.

“I remember at the hospital one time — a different hospital — he saw a grandma, like an older lady,” Tikhonov said. “She was sitting crying. He asked her what was going on, and she said her husband has to have a surgery (and) they don't have enough money.

“He pretty much paid for the surgery, got to know them, brought them to games. It's like, holy crap, man.”

Panarin admitted that visiting the sick children was mentally draining and he'd leave wondering if the same type of illnesses could befall him. Nevertheless, the budding superstar said he wants to visit Chicago-area hospitals once his English improves.

Icy waters

Kane's off-ice problems — those available in police reports and those through stories by people who have observed him in public — are well known.

And last summer's drama, when a woman accused Kane of sexual assault, threatened to derail the career of perhaps the best player in the NHL.

The Hawks, though, trusted Kane and stood behind their superstar. In the end, no charges were filed and the NHL did not discipline him, finding “that the allegations made against Kane were unfounded.”

“I was always confident in myself,” Kane said. “There's certain restrictions and different things that you have to follow, whether it's from your lawyer or whoever it may be.

“The word's out now, whether it's different type of evidence or what people think of me — you're never going to change certain things.

“I'm fortunate to play in a city like Chicago where the fans have been very supportive. Now I'm just trying to make them proud, too.”

Legacy in the making?

Certainly, Kane and Panarin have delighted millions of Blackhawks fans this season. The two combined for 76 goals and 107 assists while forming an on-ice chemistry that might one day compare with other legendary duos in sports history.

Mikita and Hull. Messier and Gretzky. Lemieux and Jagr. Jordan and Pippen. Montana and Rice.

If general manager Stan Bowman locks his young star up to a long-term extension, it's possible Panarin could play with Kane for the next 6-8 years … or more.

So, how does that sound?

“It sounds good. I'm excited about it,” Kane said. “I think our chemistry will keep growing. This is our first year together, so we're kind of learning how to play with one another.

“As time goes on, obviously the chemistry will only grow.”

If the same happens with their off-ice chemistry, imagine the possibilities for two of the best hockey players in the NHL.

For Kane, who was raised Catholic and carries around his grandfather's prayer card, it could be a life-changing relationship. Consider, for a moment, these words from best-selling author and inspirational speaker Matthew Kelly:

The people we surround ourselves with either raise or lower our standards. … We become like our friends. No man becomes great on his own. No woman becomes great on her own. The people around them help to make them great.

We need people in our lives who raise our standards, remind us of our essential purpose, and challenge us to become the best version of ourselves.

When it comes to his off-the-ice-life, is Panarin that person for Kane?

“I think everybody has their different beliefs, but we probably share (them) more similar than not in that regard,” Kane said. “I don't disagree with that statement (by Matthew Kelly) at all. I think it makes a lot of sense.”

Positive influence

One thing is for sure: Panarin isn't the same person he was just three years ago.

“When I first met him, he was obviously still really young, and we still enjoyed having fun and stuff,” Tikhonov said. “I just kind of saw the maturity growing a little bit from the first year to the second, (and) especially to the third.

“The third one he was more understanding of life, more understanding of the problems of life and people's problems. Just became a guy that when he had a chance, he tried to help someone.”

The Blackhawks might do the best job in the entire NHL in terms of orchestrating charity events or asking players and coaches to visit sick children and adults.

But sometimes players act on their own, like when Scott Darling paid for a homeless man's hotel room in Arizona, or when Andrew Desjardins and Andrew Shaw visited the severely injured Matt Olson last month and gave him an Alex Ovechkin-signed stick.

Down the road, Panarin said he'd “definitely” be willing to embark on these type of altruistic endeavors with Kane.

Just imagine the reaction to that.

“I think that would surprise the (heck) out of anyone they came to visit,” Tikhonov said. “That would be probably one of the best memories of their lives if they came up and visited someone at the hospital. That would be unbelievable.”