GREENBURGH, N.Y. --Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko are entering the offseason as pending unrestricted free agents for the first time in their NHL careers.
But each forward will enter that process with a different mindset in the aftermath of the New York Rangers' seven-game loss to the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference First Round.
Kane said he hopes to know within the next week or two if he will require surgery to repair a lower-body injury that he's been dealing with for the past few seasons. He said free agency will be something he thinks about after that.
Tarasenko said his focus will be finding the best situation for his family with the goal of signing with a team that has a chance to win the Stanley Cup.
"I'm turning 35 next year but it's not like I feel old," Kane said at the Rangers training center Wednesday. "I still feel pretty young and I feel like the passion is still there. I know that I can be a top player if my focus is solely on hockey instead of how I feel that day."
Kane said he does not know if surgery will impact his ability to start next season on time.
The 34-year-old right wing can become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his 16-year NHL career July 1.
"There's not a decision on that (surgery) yet, but we're going to have to find a way to get me back to as close to 100 percent as possible," Kane said. "Even me personally, I look at that series and know if I felt a little bit better I can help us win that series. It's almost disappointing and depressing in a way, but that's just how I feel about it."
The Rangers' season ended with a 4-0 loss to the Devils in Game 7 at Prudential Center on Monday. Kane had six points (one goal, five assists) in the series, but none in the final three games, when the Rangers went 1-2.
Kane had 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 19 regular-season games with the Rangers after they acquired him from the Chicago Blackhawks in a three-team trade that also included the Arizona Coyotes on Feb. 28.
"I commend the training staff, (head trainer) Jim Ramsay and his staff just on getting me as ready as possible for the playoffs," Kane said. "I felt pretty good. Not 100 percent, but I felt pretty good. We'll figure everything out, talk to the doctors and see what the plan is going forward. The main focus is the health right now and to get that all figured out."
Tarasenko had four points (three goals, one assist) against New Jersey after scoring 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 31 regular-season games with the Rangers, who acquired him from the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 9.
The 31-year-old, who just completed his 12th NHL season, spoke glowingly about his time with the Rangers and said he would consider re-signing with New York, but he's not ready to think too much about that yet.
"For me, I've never been a free agent before so just looking forward to how it is," he said. "I don't really have time to think about it now, just need a few days to calm down and figure out what to do."
Miller, Lafreniere and Mikkola each said they will leave the business side of their game to their agents. Halak did not speak with the media Wednesday.
Motte said he is interested in re-signing with the Rangers if the feeling is mutual. The Rangers clearly like Motte since they acquired him ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline for the second straight season, getting him from the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 19 this season.
"Absolutely," he said. "Comfortable the second time around here for sure. Love the city. Love this group. You never know who is going to be back in a locker room at the beginning of each year, but this is one that I love to be a part of and love to be in. There's a lot of the core guys that you take two runs at it with and you'd love to do it again."
Gerard Gallant said he expects to be back for his third season as the Rangers coach. He said he has not spoken yet to general manager Chris Drury, but that he was "disappointed" he even had to address his future when he met with the media Wednesday.
"I'm coming in here from what I think is two excellent years," Gallant said. "We had one bad week and it cost us."
The Rangers went 47-22-13 this season for 107 points after winning 52 games and getting 110 points last season. In Gallant's two seasons, they're fifth in the NHL in points percentage (.662) and tied for sixth in wins (99) with the Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild.
New York is 13-14 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs under Gallant but had a 2-0 lead in each of its last two series -- against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final last season and against the Devils in the first round this season -- and did not win either.
"If I can't stand by my record, what I've done, I think there's something wrong," Gallant said. "I think it's pretty good. and not just the record here, the record moving forward."
