Blackhawks' Patrick Kane Was 'Definitely' Eyeing Rangers Trade Before Tarasenko Deal

Patrick Kane still hasn't made a decision regarding his future with the Chicago Blackhawks, but he'd be lying if he said he didn't have his eyes on the New York Rangers before they acquired Vladimir Tarasenko on Thursday.

"It's not like the happiest I've been to hear about a trade," Kane told reporters when asked about the Tarasenko deal. "I think the Rangers are a team that you definitely pay attention to and definitely are intrigued by, for obvious reasons."

Kane also admitted that the Rangers were one of the teams on his radar if he were to request a trade from the Blackhawks. However, the Tarasenko deal essentially eliminates New York as a possible landing spot for the veteran winger.

"If things were going to happen, that was a team I was definitely looking at," Kane said. "It seems like they kind of filled their void and went ahead and made a deal, so it is what it is."

The St. Louis Blues traded Tarasenko and defenseman Niko Mikkola to the Rangers on Thursday in exchange for Sammy Blais, prospect Hunter Skinner, a conditional 2023 first-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick.

Tarasenko, who spent the first 11 seasons of his career in St. Louis, requested a trade from the franchise in July 2021. He was reportedly upset with how the Blues handled his multiple shoulder surgeries, which fractured his relationship with the team.

The Blues went on to leave Tarasenko unprotected in the Seattle expansion draft that same month, though he went unclaimed by the Kraken, which instead selected defenseman Vince Dunn.

With Tarasenko in the final year of an eight-year, $60 million contract, there was always a possibility for him to be moved ahead of the NHL's March 3 trade deadline.

Like Tarasenko, Kane is also in the final year of an eight-year, $84 million contract and is a candidate to be moved ahead of the deadline with the Blackhawks gearing up to enter a full-scale rebuild.

Chicago indicated it would be entering a rebuilding period during the 2022 NHL draft when it traded Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators and Kirby Dach to the Montreal Canadiens for draft picks.

Kane had long been linked to the Rangers. However, New York opted to acquire Tarasenko over Kane and San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier because it felt the asking prices for both players were too high, per ESPN's Emily Kaplan.

The Rangers also weren't keen on waiting for Kane to make a decision about his future, and they expressed concerns over his hip injury, Kaplan added.

The Athletic's Arthur Staple also wrote in January that it "seems like the whole league knows now that Kane needs hip surgery" and that "if he doesn't shut down the season and get the surgery soon to be ready for free agency and 2023-24, he's going to be damaged goods."

Before the start of the 2021-22 season, Kane confirmed he had been dealing with a nagging, undisclosed injury since before the start of the 2020 playoffs in the Edmonton bubble. He added that he was hoping to get the issue fixed before the 2021-22 campaign began, but that didn't happen.

Kane went on to play 78 games last season and only missed time because of the NHL's COVID-19 health and safety protocols. This season, his injury appeared to resurface in a January matchup against the Sharks, and he later found himself on injured reserve.

Since returning to the Chicago lineup on Jan. 14, Kane hasn't missed any time, but it's clear that his injury is still an issue. That said, he thinks his hip ailment 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," Kane told reporters Thursday. "It's just one of those things that maybe the story leaks out and it piles up a little bit."

If Kane decides he wants a trade before the March 3 deadline, he'll more than likely have numerous suitors despite the ailment. However, he has a full no-trade clause, which means he'll have a say in where he ends up.

Kane would be a valuable addition to any contending team, especially considering he's a three-time Stanley Cup winner. Through 46 games this season, he has notched nine goals and 26 assists for 35 points.

The 34-year-old's situation is going to continue to be a hot topic as we get closer to the deadline, but it's safe to say we can cross the Rangers off the list of possible landing spots.