Patrick Kane landed in New York with a light heart and full of hope

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Martin Brodeur in a Blues uniform, Mike Modano in a Red Wings uniform, Ilya Kovalchuk in a Canadiens jersey. There are hockey players that we will never be able to see anywhere other than with the team with which they have spent the majority of their career. Patrick Kane might just fit that list. 

Acquired from the Rangers, after almost 16 full seasons in Chicago, the main interested party himself pointed out that it was strange not to have the Blackhawks logo on his chest.

“The first time, I I felt like I was coming to a different competition or league. I had the same feeling as when I played in Switzerland during the lockout or when I represented the United States in international tournaments, “said the 34-year-old striker, a few hours before the match against the Canadian. .

But the very first choice of the 2007 auction will certainly succeed in adopting his new uniform. First, because nothing has been going well in Chicago for “five or six seasons” and that, at the Rangers, he could have the opportunity to lift the Stanley Cup for the third time in his career.

“Even if we were close to the bottom of the rankings in Chicago, I always continued to give my full performance. It won't change. But this time, on the other hand, there will be a stake in each game, ”he argued.

In fact, he handcuffed Kyle Davidson, his former general manager, publicly stating that he would agree to join the Blueshirts and not any other team.

What was so attractive about New York? The team, his mythical home, the city?

“A bit of all that,” he replied. In recent years, the Rangers have been building a team that wants to aspire to great honors. Playing with talented players is very exciting.”

“Coming back to the east coast, near my family, being in New York, playing Madison Square Garden with its crowd and all the euphoria you can feel in the city, listed the athlete from Buffalo. It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.”

The results are slow

Kane didn't is not the only player with sublime skills that the Rangers have acquired as the trade deadline approaches. On February 9, Chris Drury acquired Vladmir Tarasenko, another prodigy and former Stanley Cup champion.

Except that so far, we can not say that the addition of these two players, as talented as they are, brings the desired results.

Since the arrival of the Russian, the Rangers present a file of 6-5-1. Before the game against the Canadiens, Kane, for whom it was the third game in the other famous blue-white-red uniform, was still waiting to savor his first victory with his new team.

“People think the transition is even smoother when you bring in talented players, but it takes a bit of time,” Kane said.

“What I like about this team, is that the guys are calm and confident. Everyone is involved in finding solutions, he also mentioned. And the coach is intense. It's good for a team like this because it keeps everyone on their toes.”

Stay true to your identity

Speaking of which, the Rangers bucked the tide a bit by acquiring two stars. fiery and pugnacious players, the type of players greatly sought after and effective in the playoffs. Especially when the team is already full of players capable of putting the puck in the net.

Gerard Gallant has chosen to disagree with this theory instead.

“ We are a talented team. We're not the type to go out on the ice and try to pick everyone up. We are more the type to make the opponent pay when he receives penalties,” said the head coach of the Rangers.

“We are able to play aggressively. We are a fast team, able to push the opponent out of our way with our forecheck, he continued. Yes, we have stars, but we have to make sure we work hard. And that's what we're going to do.”

In short, the important thing is to stay true to your identity.