The New York Rangers are on the hunt for a first-line right winger to team up with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider this offseason and could reunite with a familiar face to achieve that goal. Former Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane had his brief stint with the Blueshirts in 2022 before signing with the Detroit Red Wings on a one-year contract this past season.
Kane will be a free agent once again this summer and reportedly has an interest in making a return to Broadway. According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff (h/t Johnny Lazarus), Kane feels like he has something left to prove in New York which could fuel his return to the Rangers.
Patrick Kane reportedly feels like he “left something on the table” during his time with the Rangers
Servalli reported that, while he’s not sure if the Rangers are legitimately interested in signing Kane this summer, he has heard that there is interest on the player’s end:
“He felt like he left something on the table because he wasn’t at full strength,” Servalli told Lazarus. “And I think he wanted a chance to maybe try and do that over again.”
While Kane was an exciting acquisition for the Blueshirts at the 2022 trade deadline, he did leave fans a bit underwhelmed. However, he was battling through a hip injury that severely hampered his performance. Perhaps a healthier Kane could make a bigger impact on the first line if he were to be signed by the Rangers this summer.
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Kane proved he still has first-line value during his time with the Detroit Red Wings
Kane enjoyed a solid bounce-back season in Detroit. He was nearly a point-per-game player, totaling 47 points (20 goals and 27 assists) in 50 games played. Now the 35-year-old, three-time Stanley Cup champion could look to make his return to Broadway and boost a team that is searching for more postseason pedigree to add to its top six.
The Rangers will explore many options this offseason to upgrade their first-line right wing. Kane ultimately might not be their top choice as the increasing age of their core stars has started to become a concern for the team. However, his ability to create points and experience in the postseason could make a Kane-Rangers reunion an exciting proposition.
