Everyone remembers a great scene from Friends during one of TV's best will-they-or-won't-they relationships. Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) gets a message from his high school crush/sister's best friend Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston) that she was "over him". Shocked, Ross says, "You're over me? When were you under me." That's basically the reaction that Patrick Kane had upon hearing the Rangers acquired St Louis Blues sniper Vladimir Tarasenko on February 9th. “It’s not like the happiest I’ve been to hear about a trade,” the disappointed Kane said, "If things were going to happen, that was a team I was definitely looking at.” But like Ross Geller, Kane came running in to Central Perk to tell the Rangers that he wants to be with them...or are the Rangers' Ross in this situation... you could argue either way.
"If things were going to happen, that was a team I was definitely looking at.”- Patrick Kane
The New York Rangers made the BIGGEST headline of the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline when they acquired Chicago Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane for a conditional 2nd round pick and a 4th round pick on Tuesday. Adding Kane to this mix of talent is a MAJOR upgrade over their RW production this season. Kane has 16 goals on the talent-stripped Chicago Blackhawks this season, which would be the most for a Rangers' right-winger, as they've struggled to get production out of that position. Kaapo Kakko leads Rangers right-wingers with 12 goals. Despite Vladimir Tarasenko coming off a 34-51-85 season, his two goals in nine games as a Ranger qualify as a slow start. While it's reasonable to suggest Tarasenko will soon resemble the player closer to his 34 goals from 2021-22, than the 12 he's potted this season, it's undeniable the Rangers need more collective production from the right wing position. Kane will likely slot on the either of the top two lines and the top power play unit. This immediately makes the Rangers a tough match-up come playoff time and with the Rangers staring at Nico Hischer and Jesper Bratt in the first round, the Blueshirts will NEED to make Lindy Ruff's job difficult.
Kane's resume is more than enough for Rangers fans to get excited about. He is already the 2nd Conn Smythe trophy winner to be dealt this trade season (Ryan O'Reilly), but Kane is the only player traded to score a goal that WON the Stanley Cup. His 136 playoff games are going to be valuable as they represent significantly more games than the next closest Ranger (Kreider, 100). While his three Cups are one more than Barclay Goodrow and two more than Vladimir Tarasenko, Kane has the wherewithal to score clutch goals that could put the Rangers over the top. Kane's pedigree will help the Rangers navigate through the regret for not finishing off the Tampa Bay Lightning last season in the Eastern Conference Finals where they were up two games and two goals. Four games later, the Rangers season ended. Kane is a difference maker.
However, it's been YEARS since Kane had playoff success. His Blackhawks eliminated Connor McDavid's Oilers in the 2020 bubble play-in round, but the Hawks haven't won a playoff series since winning the Cup in 2015. Kane, however, can't be held accountable for those playoff defeats as he recorded over one point per game in two of the three series defeats. Can Kane sustain the production that saw him score 39 goals, 61 assists for 100 points in 100 playoff games from 2010-15? That productivity garnered three Stanley Cups and the 2015 Conn Smythe as the only American forward to claim the playoff MVP. Kane's 46-60-106 in 2015-16 netted him the Hart Trophy for the NHL's MVP. His linemate that year was Calder trophy winner Artemi Panarin. While Panarin's career has blossomed without Kane - topping 80 points every season away from Kane - the Blackhawks' career superstar notched 473 points (161 g, 312 a) in 412 games since Panarin's departure. Kane is hoping this reunion will further spark his productivity.
It's time to to look at the New York Rangers as a serious contender for the Stanley Cup.
Clearly, Chris Drury is taking advantage of the Chicago Blackhawks that have no other choice than to move their star to the Broadway. It's either Cup or bust for this team. Can he end up being the spark that gets the Rangers to engrave their names on the Cup for the first time in 29 years? With Kane in tow, are they able?
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