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Which Rangers deadline trade was the best value?

By Conor Power

RALEIGH, NC - MARCH 23: Mika Zibanejad #93, Vladimir Tarasenko #91, Adam Fox #23, and Niko Mikkola #77 of the New York Rangers celebrate a goal during the third period of the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on March 23, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - MARCH 23: Mika Zibanejad #93, Vladimir Tarasenko #91, Adam Fox #23, and Niko Mikkola #77 of the New York Rangers celebrate a goal during the third period of the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on March 23, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 18: Patrick Kane #88 of the New York Rangers during warm-up prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 18, 2023, at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 18: Patrick Kane #88 of the New York Rangers during warm-up prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 18, 2023, at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Getty Images) /

Patrick Kane

When the Rangers acquired Tarasenko from St Louis, the Chicago Blackhawks had a winger who is destined for the Hockey Hall of Fame who was unhappy because he wanted to be a New York Ranger. When that was heard around the league, Chris Drury and the company started jumping through all sorts of hoops to make the money work so we can say that Patrick Kane is a Ranger.

Patrick Kane was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks and funneled through the leagues’ version of an off-shore bank account in the Virgin Islands in the Arizona Coyotes. That was to allow the Rangers to take on just a quarter of Kane’s original $10.5 million cap hit. With the Blueshirts having been pressed to the cap since the trade, it’s been a difficult situation moving forward.

In order to acquire arguably the greatest American Born player of all time, the Rangers were forced to part with Andy Welinski, a 2nd and a 4th. That is what went to the Blackhawks. New York was forced to give up an additional 3rd rounder to the Coyotes to make sure the deal went through and the Rangers were under the cap after the trade, which they were… just about. But it wasn’t just Kane that they got.

New York also picked up Cooper Zech who is likely not going to be a factor long-term when we look back at this. So, it was 3 mid-round picks and a depth player for one of the greatest US-born players of all time. If you just look at the trade itself, it looks like Drury stole Kyle Davidsson’s phone, forged his signature, and committed several counts of fraud. You can be sure he didn’t because there is more to this.

Kane had been dealing with a lingering hip issue as a member of the Blackhawks. Elliotte Freidman of Sportsnet reported that it may be something he needs to have surgically cleaned up this summer. Kane also had a no-movement clause has a no-movement clause meaning he was in complete control of his trade destination. That alone would force Davidsson into lowering the price immensely.

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