Artemi Panarin didn't leave a young fan empty-handed after he wrote the phrase "Panarin, may I have your stick? – Your number one fan" in Russian on a sign and put it against the glass for the player to see.
In a video put up by the Blue Jackets' official Instagram account, the player could be seen casually throwing the stick up into the air, with the fan effortlessly catching it as other fans looked on.
Fans pressed other messages of appreciation against the glass, including one reading "Hey Panarin! Stick with Columbus and enjoy free Hugs for life!"
This is Dan and Coy Ragland. Coy is wearing an Artemi Panarin jersey, and his sign--I'm told--reads: "Artemi, may I have a stick, please?" (Or something to that effect.) Anyway, you can see that it worked. pic.twitter.com/EHPeRXkWpW
— Lori Schmidt (@LoriSchmidt) 11 января 2019 г.
The Blue Jackets beat the Nashville Predators 4-3 in overtime on Thursday, with Panarin and teammate Boone Jenner scoring two goals apiece. The Russian player has racked up 47 points so far in the 2018-2019 season, scoring 15 goals and making 32 assists in 41 games played. The Blue Jackets currently rank third in the Eastern Conference, behind the Washington Capitals and the Boston Penguins, winning 25 out of 43 games played and accumulating 53 points.