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The New York Rangers need to make some changes to the roster they have right now. They have limited offensive talent and this is hurting the transition from John Tortorella‘s defensive-minded system to Alain Vigneault‘s puck possession, uptempo offensive system. There is one player on the trade market that the Rangers have made inquiries about and that player is Evander Kane of the Winnipeg Jets.
Kane has all the tools to be an elite player in the NHL, but hasn’t found a way to put it all together yet. He is 6-foot-2 and weighs 195 pounds. He has one of the quickest releases and shots in the game right now. His best season in the league came in 2011-12 when he scored 30 goals and added 27 assists for a grand total of 57 points. This season, Kane has been injured a lot and has had a tough time finding his niche. The Jets are one of the worst teams in the Western Conference and are shopping Kane too a bunch of different teams.
Kane is a player that absolutely loves playing against the Rangers. Over the course of his career, he has seemed to play with an extra fire when he plays at Madison Square Garden. He loves playing in the bright lights and making big plays.
The reported asking price for Kane is high as it should be. He is one of the best and most talented young players in the game. The Jets are reportedly asking for a top six forward, a puck moving defenseman, a top prospect, and possibly a draft pick or two.
The Rangers have two of those three players on their roster right now. J.T. Miller is one of the better prospects in the league and he has really struggled to adapt to Vigneault’s new system. Michael Del Zotto fits the billing of a puck moving defenseman who is still relatively young. The Rangers would have to move a player in their top six who is most likely a center. Derek Stepan would be one name rumored, but the Rangers will not part with him given how much they think of him as the future of the team. If Derick Brassard elevates his game you could see him be put in a package for Kane. It will take a lot to get Kane because he is so young and has such a high ceiling.
The fact is the Rangers will still be lacking some offensive punch even if they make a deal for Kane. Glen Sather has put Vigneault in an impossible position to succeed. Sather has to be the one to fix this team and it is going to have to come through trades. The farm system is lacking offensive players and the team needs some overhaul on their roster now.
The season is not lost due to the fact that the Metropolitan Division is so awful. But the Rangers need to seriously think about making a push to get Kane to the big apple.
