When Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko were traded to the New York Rangers, both expected that the star-studded team would be making a deep playoff run in 2022-23.
But after that was derailed by a Game 7 loss to the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, neither player knows what the future will hold as unrestricted free agency looms for the two star forwards.
“For me, I've never been a free agent before so just looking forward to how it is,” Tarasenko said on Wednesday, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. “I don't really have time to think about it now, just need a few days to calm down and figure out what to do.”
“I'm turning 35 next year but it's not like I feel old,” Kane explained, per Rosen. “I still feel pretty young and I feel like the passion is still there. I know that I can be a top player if my focus is solely on hockey instead of how I feel that day.”
Both players admit that they haven't thought too deeply about free agency with the wounds of a disappointing playoff exit still fresh. Kane is focused on repairing a lower-body injury that he's been dealing with for at least two regular seasons.
For Tarasenko, the 34-year-old said his focus is on finding the best situation for his family with the goal of signing with a team that has a chance to win the Stanley Cup.
The Rangers season ended with a 4-0 loss to the Devils in Game 7 at the Prudential Center on Monday. Kane finished with six points in the series, but none in the final three games, while Tarasenko added three goals and an assist.
Although both Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko expressed enjoyment about their short time with the Rangers, it's going to be extremely difficult to keep one or both with the tight salary cap the team is working with.
More than likely, New York traded a plethora of draft capital for a single playoff round of their services, and expect both players to sign elsewhere in 2023.
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