CHICAGO — Patrick Kane acknowledged Friday that the New York Rangers’ trade for Vladimir Tarasenko was a blow to his potential trade plans.
“It’s not like the happiest I’ve been to hear about a trade,” Kane told reporters after morning skate. “Obviously they made a move to get him and another big defenseman. You’ve got to respect them going out and trying to make the team better.”
The Rangers have flirted with the idea of reuniting Kane with ex-Hawks linemate Artemi Panarin since last season, but they stunned the hockey world Thursday when they swung deal for former Blues winger Tarasenko and third-pairing defenseman Niko Mikkola.
In return, the Blues acquired conditional 2023 first-round and 2024 fourth-round picks, along with winger Samuel Blais and defensive prospect Hunter Skinner.
Kane had been reluctant to name his desired trade destinations, but admitted Friday that New York had been in play.
“Just if things are going to happen, that was a team I was definitely looking at,” he said. “It seems like they kind of filled their void and went ahead and made a deal. So it is what it is.”
Kane wasn’t sure what prompted the Rangers to move in a different direction, but said the narrative about a nagging hip injury has been overblown.
“I’m not really sure what the story is out there, to be honest with you, but I feel better than I did last year,” he said.
Kane has said he plans to take his decision up to the March 3 trade deadline, but later told the Chicago Tribune he can see how teams may want to deal, especially, he said, since the New York Islanders traded for the Vancouver Canucks’ Bo Horvat and got the ball rolling.
Kane pointed out he can’t have direct contact with other teams.
“We’re not talking to teams,” he said. “I’m not talking to any teams, right? I’m here with the Blackhawks, I’m signed on with the Blackhawks, this is where my contract is, right?
“I can go to (Hawks general manager) Kyle (Davidson) and say, ‘Hey Kyle, this is the team I might be interested in going to, could we figure something out?’ I can’t talk to the GMs from the other teams.”
Kane added, “I think that’s really for Kyle to decide when he’s talking to different teams. I mean, he can hear from (Kane’s agent) Pat (Brisson) about what teams might be interested, but it’s ultimately up to Kyle to make those deals.
“So I think to me, it seemed like the deal was out there for them to be made and they made it.”
