Rangers' Updated Roster, Lines and Pairings After Reported Patrick Kane Trade
Feb 28, 2023
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 21: Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks controls the puck against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period at United Center on February 21, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
It's Showtime on Broadway.
The New York Rangers are acquiring Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane in exchange for a 2023 conditional second-round pick and a 2023 fourth-round selection, per ESPN's Emily Kaplan.
If the Rangers make the Eastern Conference Finals, that second-round selection will become a first-round pick in either 2024 or 2025.
The Arizona Coyotes will receive a third-round pick in 2025 for facilitating the trade, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Kane's move to New York was inevitable as the star winger said this month that he was keeping tabs on the Blueshirts as a possible destination should he decide to leave Chicago.
The 34-year-old, who has notched 16 goals and 29 assists in 54 games this season, could make his Rangers' debut as soon as Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.
With Kane set to join the Rangers, there have been questions about where he'll slot into the lineup. Let's take a look at New York's updated roster and depth chart following the move.
New York Rangers Projected Lines, Pairings
Keep in mind that New York's offensive lines, particularly within the top six, could look different depending on how head coach Gerard Gallant wants to split up the star power he has received over the last few weeks.
For now, here's how the lines and pairings are projected:
Injury: Ryan Lindgren (defenseman, upper-body injury)
The Rangers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with a 34-17-9 record and 77 points. While they're nine points behind the first-place Carolina Hurricanes, they're within striking distance of the second-place New Jersey Devils (39-15-5, 83 points).
New York owns the NHL's 11th-best offense, averaging 3.30 goals per game. In addition, the franchise has been 22.7 percent effective on the power play.
The addition of Kane should help the offense improve drastically, but it's worth noting that the Rangers could use some more depth on defense. Whether general manager Chris Drury is interested in acquiring a defense before the deadline ends at 3 p.m. ET Friday remains unclear.
Rangers Complete NHL Superteam with Blockbuster Patrick Kane Trade
Sara Civian
Feb 28, 2023
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JANUARY 23: Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks speaks to the press during Media Day for the 2020 NHL All-Star at Stifel Theatre on January 23, 2020 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
If it felt like Patrick Kane took the Vladimir Tarasenko trade to the New York Rangers extra personally, it's because Kane to New York was closer to happening than it appeared at the time.
"It's not, like, the happiest I've been to hear about a trade," Kane said, per Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago. "I think the Rangers are a team that you definitely pay attention to and definitely are intrigued by, for obvious reasons."
Well, one hat trick, seven goals, 10 points and a little bit of patience later, Kane is more than just intrigued by the Rangers. The 34-year-old future Hall of Famer is a Blueshirt after all.
New York is expected to acquire Kane for a 2023 conditional second-round pick (which can become a first) and a 2023 fourth-round pick. The Arizona Coyotes will take on a portion of Kane's cap hit and will receive a third-round pick in 2025 for helping to get the deal over the line.
According to sources, the Arizona Coyotes are the third party team facilitating the Blackhawks and Rangers Patrick Kane deal. https://t.co/kbvLSwG96i
New York had to make several transactions just to get the numbers to work to add Kane. On Saturday, the Rangers unloaded fringe winger Vitali Kravtsov (three goals and six points in 28 games with the NHL club this season) and his $875,000 salary-cap hit to the Vancouver Canucks for prospect Will Lockwood and a seventh-round pick in 2026. They waived fourth-liner Jake Leschyshyn and sent down defenseman Braden Schneider on Sunday to clear cap space.
Kane, who had been with Chicago for his entire 16-season NHL career, waived his no-trade clause to join New York in a sort of bittersweet move as the star seeks one more Stanley Cup.
There were two big concerns of suitors when it came to Kane's potential role on a Cup contender: the acquisition cost and his hip injury. Clearly, Kane wanted to make it work with the Rangers, as they were the only team he was interested in. That gave them tons of leverage, and they didn't have to surrender another first-round pick. Doing that and shipping out players who struggled to stay in their stacked lineup was a big win.
As for the hip injury, Kane is starting to silence doubts and has said the situation is "overblown."
Kane was having a bad season—on pace for a career-worst year in points until recently. He did not look like the tough-to-play-against forward we've been spoiled with watching for almost two decades. But a week after it was reported that the Rangers opted for Tarasenko because of concern over Kane's hip, he exploded on the ice, including the hat trick and 10 points in his last four games.
It's a small sample size with recency bias, but Kane's ability to turn it on like that and play at an elite level has been what's separated him during his career, and it makes sense that a young team would want his experience and mentality in its locker room for the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Chicago is tanking, and Kane hasn't necessarily had the supporting cast or sense of urgency to unleash the three-time Stanley Cup winner within. His lackluster performance this season is not a true representation of what he can do on a good team with actual hopes and dreams. Whathe can do isn't worth $10.5 million either, butnow that we know the Rangers are not paying everything under the sun, that's a non-issue.
In acquiring Kane, New York solidified one of the most eventful trade deadline outings in recent memory. It now boasts Kane, Tarasenko, Tyler Motte and Niko Mikkola. What could that look like?
The Rangers have been deploying Tarasenko in different spots since acquiring him Feb. 9. They started the right winger out on Mika Zibanejad's line, to the right of countryman Artemi Panarin. They've since swapped Chris Kreider for Panarin on that line, and most recently have played Panarin, Tarasenko and Vincent Trocheck together. Jimmy Vesey is the other right winger bouncing around in this equation, but with the acquisition of Kane, he will get bumped down to the bottom six.
I bet the Rangers will continue to play around, and we might see combinations such as Kreider-Zibanejad-Kane, Panarin-Trocheck-Kane and Kreider-Trocheck-Kane.
Together again: Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin are teammates for the second time.
To spell it out, we are looking at Panarin-Trocheck-Tarasenko and Kreider-Zibanejad-Kane. That is a star-studded top six, no matter how you splice it.
Personally, I've enjoyed watching the chemistry between Panarin and Tarasenko, and I'm sure they've enjoyed playing together. But when I think about what could make the Kane trade a gigantic success, it's the versatility now available to Gerard Gallant when a line goes cold during the playoffs.
The concern about Kane's hip remains, and the Rangers will have to be smart about deployment and maybe not rely too heavily on Kane to be the guy. But the beauty of this deal, and their huge trade deadline, is they don't have to. They can slot in Kane on the first or second line and let him snipe on the power play alongside a bolstered supporting cast.
While teams such as the Boston Bruins have made tweaks and there's an understated value in not doing too much, the Rangers became a superteam in front of our eyes. It feels like their bold moves and cap maneuvering could set a precedent, as more teams will be able to go for it when the cap rises in the coming years.
We'll see how it plays out when the playoffs come around.
Report: Patrick Kane Traded to Rangers from Blackhawks for 2023 2nd-Round Pick, More
Feb 28, 2023
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 05: Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks looks on during the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on March 05, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane is on his way to the New York Rangersin exchange fora conditional second-round pick and a fourth-rounder in 2023ahead of the NHL's March 3 deadline, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.
ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported on the details of the conditional selection:
The Rangers are acquiring Patrick Kane for a 2023 conditional second pick and 2023 fourth-round pick.
Per sources, the conditions of second round pick: turns into a first IF the Rangers make the Conference Finals. However that first round pick would be in either 2024 or 2025.
Kaplan also reported the Arizona Coyotes are helping to facilitate the trade with New York and Chicago. The Coyotes are receiving a 2025 third-round pick as part of the transaction, per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
It was a tough decision for Kane to part ways with the Blackhawks. TSN's Darren Dreger reported July 20 that the forward was undecided on whether he wanted to request a trade from the franchise, and he didn't decide on a move until Tuesday.
Kane has spent his entire 15-year career with the Blackhawks, winning three Stanley Cups and being named to the All-Star Game four times. The 33-year-old recorded 1,225 points (446 goals, 779 assists) in 1,161 games in Chicago.
During the 2021-22 season, Kane notched 92 points (26 goals, 66 assists) in 78 games. This season, he has tallied 16 goals and 29 assists in 54 games, so it's not surprising that he generated a lot of interest.
In addition, Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson told reporters March 1 that the team would be entering a rebuild, meaning that veteran players like Kane and Jonathan Toews, both of whom will be unrestricted free agents after the season, would be available.
Davidson said:
"We’re going to look at more of a rebuild here. There are some things that we really need to fix that are going to take time. We're not going to put a timeline on it, whether it's three, five [years], I don't have that answer right now. That will be determined as we proceed.
"But we really need to do this the right way and we're going to stick to the plan and take our time with it and make sure that when we get to where we want to go, then it was the result of a plan that was stuck to and not deviated from."
The Blackhawks began executing their rebuild over the summer by trading Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for three draft picks, including the 2022 No. 7 pick that was used to select defenseman Kevin Korchinski.
Chicago also traded Kirby Dach to the Montreal Canadiens for two draft picks, including the 2022 No. 13 pick that was used to select center Frank Nazar. In addition, the team drafted defenseman Sam Rinzel with the 25th pick after trading one of the picks from the DeBrincat deal.
Moving Kane was just the next step in the process for Davidson and the Blackhawks, who sit eighth in the Central Division with a 21-33-5 record.
The Rangers had long been linked to Kane, and the Buffalo native even admitted on Feb. 10 that he had his eyes on New York as a possible destination if he decided to leave Chicago.
However, Kane landing with the Rangers seemed like a long shot after the franchise acquired winger Vladimir Tarasenko in a deal with the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 9. Kaplan also reported at the time that New York had expressed concerns over Kane's hip injury.
Luckily, the Rangers were able to work out a deal for the right wing, who reportedly was only willing to accept a move to New York, Scott Powers of The Athletic reported Feb. 25.
Kane will significantly elevate New York's offensive potential for the remainder of the season alongside Tarasenko, Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad. The Rangers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with a34-17-9 record.
Rangers K'Andre Miller Suspended for 3 Games After Spitting on Kings' Drew Doughty
Feb 28, 2023
DETROIT, MI - FEBRUARY 23: K'Andre Miller #79 of the New York Rangers controls the puck behind the net against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period of an NHL game at Little Caesars Arena on February 23, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit defeated New York 4-1.(Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)
The NHL announced Tuesday that New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller has been suspended three games for unsportsmanlike conduct during Sunday's 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings.
In the midst of an on-ice altercation, Miller spit in the direction of Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, and it appeared to hit him in the face:
K'Andre Miller has been awarded a match penalty for spitting on Drew Doughty. pic.twitter.com/bNY5fp63Tx
Miller was given a match penalty for the incident, resulting in a game misconduct.
In a subsequent statement on Twitter, Miller insisted the spitting was "completely accidental" and thanked Doughty for allowing him to apologize and explain himself after the game.
Per ESPN's Kristen Shilton, Doughty told reporters he was "shocked" by the incident, adding:
"I don't even know if I said anything to him after, but I just immediately went to the ref to try to get the penalty. But you don't want to see things like that in this game, I don't know if I've ever seen that. I'm sure it has happened, but not that I've seen.
"It's unfortunate, and whether or not he meant to do it, I have no idea. ... I was pretty pissed."
Miller, 23, is in the midst of his third season with the Rangers after going 22nd overall in the 2018 NHL draft.
Last season, Miller appeared in all 82 regular-season games and posted 20 points and a career-best plus-23 rating for a Rangers team that made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.
So far this season, Miller has six goals and 24 assists for a career-high 30 points in 60 games. He also has a plus-1 rating, 130 hits, 74 blocked shots and is averaging a career-high 21:56 time on ice per game.
While Miller is out of action, New York's existing defense corps of Adam Fox, Jacob Trouba, Niko Mikkola, Ben Harpur and Braden Schneider will be tasked with stepping up.
Ryan Lindgren could step back into the lineup as well if he is healthy enough to return from injury, but if not, the Rangers will likely have to recall a blueliner from the AHL.
Rangers' K'Andre Miller Apologizes for Spitting on Drew Doughty, Says It Was Accident
Feb 27, 2023
Linesman Kilian McNamara, left, talks to New York Rangers' K'Andre Miller (79) after Miller received a penalty during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller apologized on Monday for spitting on the Los Angeles Kings' Drew Doughty during their game Sunday, saying it was an accident and completely unintentional.
Multiple reports after Sunday's 5-2 Rangers win also noted that Miller and Doughty spoke.
K'Andre Miller has spoken with Drew Doughty about the spitting incident tonight that got the Rangers D a match penalty. I'm told he explained that it was not on purpose, that it was accidental, and that he felt bad about it. I was told it was a good conversation.
Regardless, Doughty unsurprisingly wasn't thrilled about getting spit on during the game.
"I was just shocked, obviously," he told reporters. "I don't even know if I said anything to him after. You don't want to see things like that in this game. I don't know if I've ever seen that. I'm sure it has happened, not that I've seen. It's unfortunate. Whether or not he meant to do it, I have no idea. It's pretty big loogie on my face, so I was pretty [miffed]."
The incident came after an offside in the first period, with Miller and Kevin Fiala pushing one another following the whistle. As Doughty approached Miller he was hit by the spit.
Based on past precedence, Miller could be facing a three-game suspension. Garnet Hathaway received such a suspension for spitting on Erik Gudbranson in 2019.
Miller, 23, is in his third season with the Rangers. In 60 games this season he's posted six goals and 24 assists, going plus-one on the year with an average ice time of 21 minutes and 56 seconds.
He played in all 82 games for the team last year. As the Rangers continue to reshuffle the roster ahead of the trade deadline, potentially being without Miller for three games would leave the team's depth chart even thinner.
Patrick Kane Trade to Rangers is Best Move for Both Sides Amid Latest NHL Rumors
Erik Beaston
Feb 27, 2023
Patrick Kane is almost certainly headed out of Chicago, possibly to New York.
Patrick Kane has played his entire NHL career for the Chicago Blackhawks, but recent trade rumors suggest he may be on his way to the New York Rangers, a move that would prove best for both the player and his prospective new suitor.
Talks of a trade intensified over the weekend when the 34-year-old left the team ahead of Saturday's game against the San Jose Sharks.
Last night was the 1st time since 2004 (19 years) that the Blackhawks played a game without Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, or Brent Seabrook.
Kane was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NHL draft and went on to win the Stanley Cup with Chicago on three different occasions (2010, 2013, and 2015).
The Blackhawks are a losing team here in the 2022-23 season, though, and second-worst in the Western Conference. Add in the fact that Kane is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and it makes sense that Chicago would look to deal him elsewhere and get something in return for one of the greatest in franchise history.
For the nine-time All-Star, a move to the Rangers would give him the opportunity to continue his career for a playoff contender.
New York is a top-six team in the Eastern Conference and poised for a postseason appearance. That is far from the case in Chicago, and if the Blackhawks are looking to move him, the Rangers are the right team at the right time.
New York moved pieces Sunday to help creates cap room and roster space for Kane, waiving Jake Leschyshyn and trading Vitali Kravstov to the Vancouver Canucks for forward Will Lockwood and a seventh-round pick in 2026.
The move freed up funds, but the Rangers are still looking for a potential third team to facilitate the deal and help soften the impact of Kane's $10.5 million contract.
"The deal has been agreed upon; they're just waiting on the finances to work." - @TheFourthPeriod
For the contending team, adding the Buffalo, New York native to the roster benefits it on several fronts.
Kane knows what it takes to win the Stanley Cup, something New York has not achieved since Mark Messier led the team in 1994. His veteran leadership in any locker room is invaluable, and what he brings to the ice also helps.
Through 54 games played this season, he has 16 goals and 29 assists, accounting for 45 points. He would instantly improve New York's current crop of forwards and add a championship-winning name to a team that will have to compete against the speedy Toronto Maple Leafs and a potentially historic Boston Bruins squad.
A move to New York gives Kane an opportunity to win a fourth cup and further strengthen his legacy as one of the elite players of his generation.
For the Rangers, his leadership and postseason expertise give them the piece that could prove the difference between an early playoff exit and a deep run that ends a long-term championship drought, making the risk of a late-season deal well worth it for both parties.
Rangers' K'Andre Miller Ejected for Spitting on Kings' Drew Doughty
Feb 27, 2023
Linesman Kilian McNamara (93) escorts New York Rangers' K'Andre Miller (79) off the ice after Miller received a penalty during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller is known for the attitude he brings to the ice, but he took things too far Sunday.
Per ESPN's Kristen Shilton, Miller was rejected from New York's game against the Los Angeles Kings for spitting on veteran defenseman Drew Doughty during a dust-up late in the first period.
According to Mollie Walker of the New York Post, Miller reached out to Doughty to explain the situation, which the Rangers defenseman reportedly says was an accident:
Source says K'Andre Miller is maintaining that the spitting match penalty was accidental. No. 79 connected with Doughty to explain it was not on purpose and that he felt bad that it happened.
Spitting on another player is an automatic match penalty, and all match penalties are also automatically reviewed by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. There's a chance Miller faces further discipline from the league.
Shilton noted that former Washington Capitals forward Garnet Hathaway received a three-game suspension three years ago for a spitting incident against then-Anaheim Ducks defenseman Erik Gudbranson.
The Rangers had a 1-0 lead at the time of Miller's ejection and then quickly scored two more goals at the beginning of the second period to send Los Angeles starting goaltender Jonathan Quick to the bench.
Miller's ejection left New York thin at defenseman, as only six players at the position were dressed for Sunday's game. Per Shilton, Braden Schneider and Ryan Carpenter dressed and participated in warm-ups, but neither of them were expected to skate in the game for "roster management" reasons as the March 3 trade deadline approaches.
The Rangers are notably pursuing Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane, who is also interested in landing in New York and was sent home from Chicago's road trip Saturday. Kane has a no-movement clause in his contract, leaving him in control of his own destiny.
New York will next take the ice Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers.
NHL Rumors: Patrick Kane Only Considering Rangers Trade Ahead of 2023 Deadline
Feb 25, 2023
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 19: Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks controls the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs at United Center on February 19, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks defeated the Maple Leafs 5-3. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Chicago Blackhawks star forward Patrick Kane is reportedly only interested in a move to the New York Rangers ahead of Friday's NHL trade deadline.
According to Scott Powers of The Athletic, other teams have shown interest in Kane, but they "don't appeal" to him like the Rangers do.
Emily Kaplan of ESPN later reported there's "momentum" toward a deal that would send Kane to New York:
As I reported on ABC pregame..
There’s mutual interest between Patrick Kane & New York Rangers, + momentum. As long as NY clears cap space & finds 3rd party broker, expectation is it gets done.
With Kane yielding NMC power, Chicago takes whatever return Rangers willing to give.
The 34-year-old Kane, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft, has spent his 16-year career with Chicago.
Kane has built a Hall of Fame résumé and led the team to championship glory on three occasions.
Entering Saturday, Kane had 446 goals and 779 assists for 1,225 points in 1,161 regular-season games. He also has 52 goals and 80 assists for 132 points in 136 career playoff contests.
Kane has won many of the NHL's top awards, including the Art Ross Trophy and Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's leading scorer and MVP in 2015-16. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year in 2007-08 and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2012-13.
Chicago hasn't won it all since 2015 and is on track to miss the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons.
Since the team is just 20-32-5, and Kane is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, trading him would likely be an ideal scenario for the franchise.
He could net draft picks and young players to kick-start a rebuild, plus trading him would increase Chicago's chances of losing down the stretch and landing the No. 1 pick in the draft to select star forward Connor Bedard.
Kane is in the midst of his worst NHL season with 16 goals and 29 assists in 54 games, and his minus-23 rating would be the worst of his career.
That could point to declining skills, but it is also possible he would play better with an improved supporting cast. Kane reportedly needs hip surgery as well.
The Rangers reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season and are in playoff position this season. They could offer Kane the chance to play alongside Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.
Kane has a no-movement clause in his contract, so he can essentially dictate where he goes, and that arguably gives the Rangers an upper hand in negotiations if he only wants to play for them.
Because of that, it isn't outside the realm of possibility that Chicago will keep Kane if it doesn't get an offer to its liking, as there is still value in the franchise's second-leading all-time point scorer when it comes to ticket sales.
NHL Rumors: Patrick Kane Trade Interests Rangers If Blackhawks RW Waives NMC
Feb 23, 2023
CHICAGO, IL - FEBRUARY 21: Chicago Blackhawks Right Wing Patrick Kane (88) controls the puck during a game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Chicago Blackhawks on February 21, 2023 at the United Center in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The New York Rangers already made a splash ahead of the NHL's March 3 trade deadline by acquiring Vladimir Tarasenko from the St. Louis Blues, but it appears they still haven't ruled out bringing "Showtime" to Broadway.
The Blueshirts "have signaled they will try to make" a deal for Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane work if he is willing to waive his no-movement clause to head to New York, per Larry Brooks of the New York Post.
"We are told interest has not waned in the least since the acquisition of Vladimir Tarasenko from St. Louis on Feb. 10," Brooks wrote.
Kane, who is in the final season of an eight-year, $84 million contract, still hasn't informed the Blackhawks whether he would like to be traded or not.
The three-time Stanley Cup winner has been viewed as a trade candidate since the offseason when Chicago indicated it would be entering a rebuild following the deals that sent Kirby Dach and Alex DeBrincat to the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators, respectively, for draft picks.
Kane admitted earlier this month following the Tarasenko deal that he was disappointed by the move, adding that the Rangers were "definitely" a team he was paying attention to and was "intrigued by" should he decide to waive his no-move clause.
"If things were going to happen, that was a team I was definitely looking at," Kane said of the Rangers. "It seems like they kind of filled their void and went ahead and made a deal, so it is what it is."
It's somewhat of a surprise that the Rangers are still in on Kane, especially after ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported earlier this month that the franchise went after Tarasenko over the Blackhawks star and San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier because it felt the asking prices for both players were too high.
Kaplan also reported the Rangers expressed concerns over Kane's hip injury.
However, the star winger told reporters earlier this month that he believes his hip aliment has been overblown.
"Yeah, I think so. I'm not sure what the story is to be honest with you, but I feel better than I did last year," he said. "It's just one of those things that maybe the story leaks out and it piles up a little bit."
There's no denying the impact Kane would have on Broadway alongside the likes of Tarasenko, Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox.
If the 34-year-old is dealing with a hip ailment, it hasn't slowed him much as he's notched 16 goals and 29 assists for 45 points in 54 games. He's been particularly potent following the All-Star break, tallying seven goals and four assists for 11 points in nine games.
If the Rangers swing a deal for Kane, they'll become one of the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference once the playoffs begin this spring. The team currently sits third in the Metropolitan Division with a 33-15-9 record and are just four points back of the second-place New Jersey Devils.
