Hey, maybe Vladimir Tarasenko is waiting for the cap-compliant acquisition of Patrick Kane to actually report for duty as a Ranger himself. That’s one theory, anyway.

We kid, we kid, but not entirely, because the winger who was supposed to represent the Blueshirts’ headline addition when he was acquired Feb. 10 from St. Louis with Niko Mikkola has yet to make an impact through his first nine games.

Tarasenko has scored a pair of goals — one on his first shift — but the 31-year-old who was having a down season for the Blues (10-19 in 38 games) hasn’t found his niche. The new No. 91 has rarely had the puck below the hash marks and the goal line, which is where his big-bodied skills have historically been most effective.

Tarasenko began his Broadway tenure on the right side of the line with longtime buddy Artemi Panarin on the left and Mika Zibanejad in the middle. That alignment lasted almost five periods before Chris Kreider replaced Panarin at left wing. The Kreider-Zibanejad-Tarasenko unit remained intact for another four games before No. 91 moved to a line with Panarin on the left and Vincent Trocheck at center.