Greg WyshynskiESPN4 Minute Read
Patrick Kane, who will make his New York Rangers debut Thursday in opposition to the Ottawa Senators, mentioned he hasn’t been this nervous a few regular-season recreation in a really very long time.
After 1,161 video games with the Chicago Blackhawks, Kane is taking part in for an additional franchise for the primary time after an NHL commerce deadline deal.
Kane, 34, waived his no-movement clause to hitch the Rangers, leaving a rebuilding workforce for one poised to make a run at its first Stanley Cup since 1994. But he additionally left a legacy after 16 years in Chicago, the place he helped the Blackhawks to a few Stanley Cup victories.
“You undoubtedly travel in your head a bunch of occasions on what was proper,” Kane mentioned throughout an introductory information convention forward of Thursday’s recreation at Madison Square Garden. “It wasn’t the simplest resolution, however I’m simply actually excited to be right here. With the quantity of ability and good gamers they’ve right here, it is one other likelihood to make a run.”
The Rangers acquired Kane as a part of a three-team deal Monday, giving up three draft picks and defenseman Andy Welinski. Kane, a proper wing, has 45 factors in 54 video games this season, together with 16 objectives. He’s an unrestricted free agent after this season and mentioned he hasn’t but thought of whether or not the Rangers would lengthen his contract.
The commerce ended days of hypothesis that Kane would waive his no-movement clause to facilitate a deal to the Rangers, whereas New York made the mandatory wage cap strikes.
“The workforce’s been ready for it, like us all,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant mentioned. “You’re hoping, you are unsure what is going on to occur. It looks as if a protracted wait, though it hasn’t been.”
Kane mentioned he wasn’t positive of the timeframe for his resolution to waive his no-movement clause and be a part of the Rangers, however that there have been “little steps” alongside the best way that led to it. He famous the Blackhawks had been in a rebuild, however that he nonetheless had a call to make to depart his consolation zone.
There was a second when Kane expressed disappointment {that a} commerce to the Rangers won’t materialize: when New York traded for Vladimir Tarasenko of the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 9 to fill their want on proper wing.
At the time, Kane mentioned he was “not the happiest” to see that transfer made, figuring out that the Rangers had been engaged in talks to accumulate him from Chicago.
“I believe typically feedback get overblown a bit of bit,” Kane mentioned Thursday. “I wasn’t extraordinarily mad in regards to the scenario once they made the transfer for Tarasenko. It simply did not seem to be it was within the playing cards [for a trade] to nonetheless be an possibility.”
Kane then smiled.
“Now, I’m clearly very glad they made that transfer,” he mentioned.
Tarasenko will play on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, whereas Kane will line up with middle Vincent Trocheck and an previous good friend — left wing Artemi Panarin, who skated with Kane in Chicago from 2015 to 2017.
“Today’s the primary time I’ve seen him in a very long time,” Kane mentioned. “He’s a enjoyable man to be round. I undoubtedly missed that for the final six years. We picked up proper the place we left off. Hopefully it is the identical on the ice.
“It won’t be as clean as everybody thinks it will go. There may be some bumps within the street, however hopefully in due time we are able to determine it out.”
Gallant mentioned having Panarin on the roster will assist with Kane’s consolation stage as a Ranger.
“It’s all new to him. He’s been a Chicago Blackhawk his entire profession,” Gallant mentioned. “I’m positive he will be actual nervous taking part in with new teammates. Fortunately, [Panarin] is right here to assist to him. It’s good once you’ve received individuals you already know right here a bit of bit.”
Kane mentioned he appears ahead to rekindling that chemistry and that Panarin was one of many causes he waived his no-movement clause of the Rangers.
While he reunites with an previous Blackhawks teammate, Kane needed to say goodbye to a different one in captain Jonathan Toews. They each debuted in 2007-08 and led Chicago to a cap-era dynasty. Toews stepped away from the Blackhawks on Feb. 20 due to signs of lengthy COVID-19 and persistent immune response syndrome.
“We’ve performed collectively for therefore a few years,” Kane mentioned. “It will not really feel as regular because it normally does. It was an ideal run. It’s going to be bizarre not being round him.”
Kane is a part of the MSG household now; New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson wore a Kane jersey to Wednesday’s recreation in opposition to the Brooklyn Nets. Brunson lived outdoors of Chicago in the course of the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup wins and mentioned Kane is “only a legend” to him.
Kane mentioned he ran into Brunson on the Rangers’ observe facility on Wednesday, which they share with the Knicks. Kane additionally FaceTimed with Brunson’s father and mentioned he’d like to attend a Knicks recreation to help him.
“The vitality within the metropolis and all through the group is fairly excessive proper now,” Kane mentioned. “It’s nice to be part of that.”
