With rumors floating around about Patrick Kane ending up on Broadway after everything, you can see the cogs are in motion for the Chicago Blackhawks winger to work his way to the Big Apple. It’s no secret that he wants to be a New York Ranger and that the New York Rangers could use a little more punch in their top six, especially on the right wing. So, it seems like it is a natural fit but it isn’t quite so straightforward.
After picking up Vladimir Tarasenko from the St Louis Blues, the Blueshirts have a top-six right winger that they were looking for a few months ago. It has raised a question of how you juggle the two star wingers. Which one gets to play with Mika Zibanejad and should that be the same player that gets to join Artemi Panarin? Both star wingers are long-time friends of the Breadman so in theory, both should be able to have chemistry with the Russian winger.
One combination I kind of liked was Chris Kreider – Zibanejad – Tarasenko, and then the second line was Panarin – Vincent Trocheck – Kane. There’s a lot to break down with this, but the idea of having Tarasenko’s shot on the top line to go with Kreider’s strength and speed and Mika’s ability to do everything make a deadly mix. Panarin with Kane has won the Stanley Cup in the past and Trocheck can hold his own on that line.
If you wanted to swap the two additions, Kane could play with Kreider and Zibanejad, which leaves Mika’s shot as the main weapon on that top line. That second line would then be Panarin – Trocheck – Tarasenko which just looks brutally unfriendly. Trocheck’s ability to be a pest with that Tarasenko shot and Panarin’s playmaking seems so unfair. It seems like this is equally as dangerous.
This doesn’t take into account the Boys to Men line either. Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil, and Kaapo Kakko can be distributed through this group to help bolster some lines if it feels like it needs to be strengthened or just needs a change. It’s no secret that adding Kane would give this roster almost everything it needs to be taken seriously as a genuine cup contender, that is hoping that there are no injuries.