The Detroit Red Wings had a rather mundane NHL Free Agency until last Wednesday. After re-signing Patrick Kane, Detroit reunited him with one of his former New York Rangers teammates. The Winged Wheel signed Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract fresh off a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers.
On Monday, both Kane and Tarasenko addressed the media for the first time since putting pen to paper. Reporters asked Kane for his reaction to Tarasenko's move to Hockeytown. The future Hall of Fame winger mentioned that general manager Steve Yzerman asked him about the Russian winger as a person. And overall, Kane believes his former teammate will only benefit the Red Wings moving forward.
“I think he's going to be so good for the group. Obviously he's a proven winner, but just the way he plays, how hard he plays, I think a lot of players in general, not just young guys but the whole team will see how hard he works and how much effort he gives every shift and that's why he has a couple Stanley Cups to his name too,” Patrick Kane said, via NHL.com.
Red Wings' Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko join forces again
For most of their careers, Kane and Tarasenko were rivals. Tarasenko spent the first 11 years of his career on the St. Louis Blues. This made him a direct divisional rival to Kane, who played for the Chicago Blackhawks from 2007 to 2023. Then, they were both traded to the Rangers before the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline in separate deals.
With the Rangers, they had the task of helping the Blueshirts make a run at the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, that did not come to pass. Kane struggled with a hip injury during his time on Broadway. And Tarasenko simply had a down season overall. The Rangers fell in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs to the New Jersey Devils.
After that, the two parted ways. Tarasenko signed a one-year contract with the Ottawa Senators before being traded to the Florida Panthers. Meanwhile, Kane underwent surgery and rehab before joining the Red Wings. Detroit just missed the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs this past spring while Florida went on to win its first Stanley Cup in team history.
Now the two are back together again in Detroit. Their goal is to help the Red Wings make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade. And their reunion in the Motor City may expand beyond simply sharing the same locker room.
Teammates could become linemates
The Rangers had both Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko on their roster for the 2023 playoffs. However, they did not play on the same line. In Detroit, they very well may take to the ice together at the same time. With Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond set to skate alongside Dylan Larkin, Kane and Tarasenko may find themselves on either side of J.T. Compher.
It remains to be seen just how the Red Wings plan to line up. In any event, playing with Kane is something that Tarasenko is open to doing. “It would be amazing. We played against each other for so many years, and if somebody told me at that time we would play together as a line, I would be like, ‘There is no way,'” the new Red Wings forward said, via NHL.com.
Detroit wants to return to playoff hockey sooner rather than later. Their first go around with Kane in the lineup proved to be successful for both parties. It'll certainly be interesting to see how Tarasenko will perform in the Motor City when the regular season begins in October.
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