Panarin rejoins Rangers, won't play Thursday vs. Bruins

The New York Rangers' best player is back with the team, though he won't suit up for a game just yet.

Artemi Panarin skated with the team Wednesday for the first time since taking a leave of absence from the club on Feb. 22, and he certainly appeared to be in good spirits.

Rangers head coach David Quinn said Panarin won't play Thursday against the Boston Bruins, according to The Associated Press' Stephen Whyno.

"He's all-in, ready to go," Quinn said. "He's been off the ice for a while, so we've got to get him game ready."

Panarin stepped away from the club after his former KHL head coach, Andrei Nazarov, made an abuse allegation against him stemming from what Nazarov claimed was a physical altercation in 2011 between Panarin and an 18-year-old woman.

Nazarov is a known backer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Panarin has publicly supported opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The Rangers believe Nazarov made the allegation to retaliate after Panarin wrote "Freedom for Navalny" in Russian in an Instagram post in January.

The KHL said it was never informed of an abuse allegation against Panarin. It was also reported that no evidence, witnesses, or court or police records have been presented to support the allegation.

The Rangers are 4-4-0 since Panarin stepped away from the team. The 29-year-old collected five goals and 13 assists in 14 games before taking leave.