Roughly 24 hours after being traded to the LA Kings last week, forward Artemi Panarin met with the media to discuss moving on from the Rangers, why he chose Los Angeles, and a myriad of other topics. Among his various answers, one comment in particular stood out quite noticeably — he wanted to wear No. 72, but there seemed to be a problem.
Panarin says he wants number 72 for the Kings. Not getting it. Needs another day to pick one. #GoKingsGo
— The Mayor | Team MM (@mayorNHL) February 5, 2026
The Kings mascot, Bailey, has been assigned that number for nearly two decades. While the name of the mascot is tied back to a famous scout, Ace Bailey, the number had nothing do with him. In fact, Bailey wears No. 72 because it’s the average temperature in Los Angeles (or at least it was in the early 2000s).
And while there isn’t an NHL rule that prohibits mascots and players from sharing the same number, it didn’t seem the pesky lion would be giving it up anytime soon. It was a story that received quite a bit of attention online for several days following, from fans across North America weighing in with varying opinions on what the superstar sniper should go with next.
However, as first reported on NHL Radio this past Saturday morning, a deal had been reached between all parties. Panarin would be getting his number of choice. The topic was then later discussed in greater detail on Kings Of The Podcast over the weekend.
It’s now official, as Panarin’s LA jerseys have been made available for sale — with free shipping too (CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE INFO)::
No word yet on what this means for Bailey. That information is expected to be revealed later next week.
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