Kane thankful for break after slow start to Rangers tenure
Patrick Kane is making the most of a four-day break between games after a whirlwind buildup to last week's trade led to a slow start with the New York Rangers.
"It's definitely nice to get out there and practice today," Kane told Vince Mercogliano of USA Today Sports. "I haven't even had a morning skate with the team yet. It's been a little bit of time. My last practice in Chicago was two weeks ago. You need to get back into it."
Kane went 10 days between his final game with the Chicago Blackhawks and first with the Rangers. His former club kept him sidelined for precautionary reasons leading up to the Feb. 28 blockbuster.
Despite lofty expectations on Broadway, Kane's brief tenure in New York is off to a slow start. The 34-year-old is pointless while averaging over 20 minutes per contest, and is a minus-4 in two losses. The Rangers' power play also hasn't clicked since bringing the former MVP aboard, going 1-for-7.
The futility with the man advantage prompted head coach Gerard Gallant to drop star center Mika Zibanejad on the second unit, while Kane and Artemi Panarin headline the first group.
Kane's relationship with Panarin was thought to be the big reason he waived his no-move clause to join the Rangers, but the pair haven't rekindled the magic from their days as Blackhawks linemates just yet.
Gallant will give the stars a few more chances to get going at five-on-five before reconsidering.
"I like our lines, (but) it’s up to them," he said. "If they want to play together, go do it."
The Rangers' next game comes Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens.