New York Rangers: To Kane or not to Kane, that is the question

Coming off the New York Rangers 7-1 dismantling of the Chicago Blackhawks, it is a good time to weigh in on the Patrick Kane speculation.  True, it’s been debated ad nauseam and Larry Brooks of the New York Post keeps saying that it is inevitable.  I’m not so sure about that, but it is worth the discussion.

During the telecast from Chicago, we saw the obvious connection between Artemi Panarin and his former teammate and that’s a good reason to debate the merits of a Kane trade.  From their goofing off during the pregame skate, it’s clear that these two players adore each other and have chemistry.   There is no doubt that they click and the one absolute fact is that Patrick Kane would be a better right wing with Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin than anyone the Rangers have on the current roster.

Much has been made about a deterioration in Kane’s play. He is 34 years old and after scoring 26 goals and 92 points last season, he is on pace this season to score 11 goals and 49 points.  That would make this his worst NHL season by far. Of course, he is playing for a team that has lost 21 of their last 24 games.  With a supporting cast so mediocre, can you blame him for his lack of production?

We got a glimpse of his skill at the Garden on December 3 when his power-play goal and two power-play assists propelled the Hawks to their 5-2 win over the Blueshirts.  The question is whether that was an aberration or an example of him playing the way he can.

Let’s not forget that Patrick Kane is a future Hall of Famer.  He will likely end up as the highest-scoring USA-born player in NHL history.   He’s a three-time Stanley Cup champion who has 52 goals and 132 points in 136 playoff games.  And again, he is a year removed from a 92-point season for a bad team.

So, in considering trade for Kane, we have to assume that on a contender and in the playoffs, he will play the way he has in the past.  He may not be a Hart or an Art Ross Trophy contender, but he is head and shoulders above most NHL players when it comes to skill.

Is this the year?

Before the Rangers embarked on their seven-game winning streak, the answer from the majority of Ranger fans most likely would have been no. But now, the Blueshirts are back in the playoff hunt, within striking distance of a first place in a very competitive Metropolitan Division.

There’s no doubt that they remain a flawed team, but with so many of their stars in their prime, the Rangers have to be in “win now” mode.  When they are at their best, the Blueshirts can skate with any NHL team, but inconsistency has been their Achilles’ heel this season.   Tuesday’s game in Pittsburgh will tell us a lot.

The fact is if the Rangers need to keep winning and they are poised for another long playoff run.  There’s no better time to go for it.  With the recently revamped lines, Coach Gerard Gallant has found a formula that works.  The new lineup is deeper and has better balance and adding to it will only make it better.

Is Kane what they need?

Looking at the current roster, an argument could be made that while a scoring right winger would help, the trade deadline focus should be on defense.  Face it, a team with Ben Harpur or Libor Hajek getting regular minutes in the playoffs is not destined for a long run.  We still like Zac Jones, but he isn’t the answer and Matthew Robertson is not ready yet.  Remember that Justin Braun stepped in and played heavy minutes in the last playoffs and he is far from an All-Star.

Would the team be better off pursuing pending free agent blueliners like Blue Jacket Vladislav Gavrikov, Shayne Gostisbehere of Arizona, Ottawa’s Travis Hamonic or Anaheim’s John Klingberg, or Kevin Shattenkirk?

Adding a scoring right winger like Kane would fill a hole in the roster.  It would allow Barclay Goodrow to move down in the lineup instead of playing on the top line, a role he shouldn’t be filling.

Is there an in-house answer?  While we can still hope that Vitali Kravtsov will step into that role, there is no indication that Gerard Gallant has faith in the young Russian.  The Julien Gauthier experiment looks to be a non-starter.  Jimmy Vesey belongs on the penalty kill and the fourth line and Sammy Blais just cannot score.

Is Kane the only option?  There’s another big name on the free agent list. Vladimir Tarasenko has been linked to New York in the past and he’s three years younger than Kane, but considering his salary requirements, he would be a pure rental.  It’s possible that after making $84 million in the last eight years, Kane may just take a discount to sign an extension in New York for a chance to play with Panarin and go for another Cup after this season.

What would it take?

The X-factor when it comes to Patrick Kane is that he holds all of the cards.  With a full No Movement Clause, he can decide where he wants to play.  Chicago GM Kyle Davison needs to get something for Kane, but if Kane wants to play only in New York and only for the Rangers, Davison loses a lot of leverage.

The one thing that Chris Drury can not do is overpay.  In 2014, Martin St.  Louis insisted on a trade to the Rangers, the only team he would play for.  He still had another year on his contract and had led the league in scoring in 2012-13.  But one could still argue that Glen Sather gave up too much, trading Ryan Callahan and two first-round picks.  It hurt even more since it came at a time when the Rangers had traded away most of their first-round picks for years.

Drury would be in a much better position when it comes to Kane.  He can afford to surrender one of their two first-round picks along with a prospect.  But he should hold the line and not give up too much. Their best prospect is Brennan Othmann and he should be untouchable.

One name that does come up is Vitali Kravtsov.  The former top-ten pick has yet to find his place in the NHL due to injuries and limited playing time.  If the last game was an audition of any kind, he did well to score against Chicago, displaying the skill level the Rangers thought he had when he was drafted in 2018.

A simple fact is if the Rangers can acquire Patrick Kane and sign him to an extension, there may be no room for Kravtsov who needs to be a top-six player.

Complicating factors

The trade deadline is 3 pm on Friday, March 3.  The Rangers have 29 games to play before the deadline and where they are in the standings when it gets close will help determine whether they are buyers.  There is also nothing to prevent the Rangers from pursuing a deal before the deadline and are free to do so after the holiday trade hiatus.

The salary cap is a huge issue and Chicago retaining half of the salary would be necessary, but it’s possible the Rangers would need a third team to be part of a deal to further reduce the cap hit.  That would mean they would have to give even more up to get him.  But what would the impact be?

The fact is that a revitalized Patrick Kane playing on the right side of Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin could make that line one of the most formidable in the NHL.  Panarin is having a fine season and while it’s hard to imagine him playing that much better, with Kane, look out.

An already potent Rangers power play would be even better.  Having Kane would allow Goodrow or Kravtsov to play on the third line with Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck.  A fourth line of, take your pick, Jimmy Vesey, Sammy Blais,  Julien Gauthier, Jonny Brodzinski, Kravtsov or Goodrow would be pretty darned good.

It wouldn’t solve the Rangers’ blue line issues and would complicate the cap situation in 2023-24. But it could be playoff magic.