Kevin Shattenkirk’s revival could hasten his Rangers exit

There have been false starts before with Kevin Shattenkirk — actually, his year and half with the Rangers has essentially been a false start, hasn’t it? — but it feels like there is something different about the defenseman’s revival over the last week or so.

It has been understated — routine, even — the way the 29-year-old defenseman has moved the puck, directed the first power-play unit and taken care of his defensive-zone responsibilities, and Tuesday featured 3:01 of pristine penalty-killing work in the Blueshirts’ 6-2 victory over Carolina.

It hasn’t been perfect, hasn’t necessarily been dynamic, but Shattenkirk has become more involved in the play even on the third pair with a changing cast of characters on his left side, the latest, of course, the freshest of freshman, Ryan Lindgren.

“I feel like I’m being more instinctively aggressive, jumping into play, making quicker and better decisions,” No. 22 told The Post in advance of Thursday’s Garden match against the Blackhawks. “I’m being more assertive, I’m activating more and keeping my feet moving.

“I’m moving before I get the puck at the blue line, and that’s helping me get my shot through. I’d had a problem with my shots getting blocked, but that’s been much better, too. Being on the first power play, you begin with a faceoff, and if you win that, you’re going to have touches, whereas on the second unit, a lot of times you’re coming on when the puck is being sent in and being, on the penalty kill forces you to move your feet.

“I’m feeling a lot better about myself and my game, too.”

But in this fractured universe in which the Rangers — and especially their veterans without no-move clauses — are living, Shattenkirk’s improved play not only makes him more valuable to the team, but more attractive to contenders who might be interested in his particular skill set. The better he plays, the more likely he punches his ticket out of town less than two seasons into his Broadway run.

“I haven’t thought about the possibility too much, but I also don’t want to say that I’m numb to it,” said Shattenkirk, who was traded as a deadline rental from St. Louis to Washington two years ago. “Because of my past, I’m always aware of it, but I’m not worried about it, either.

“I have enough to worry about on my own plate.”

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Shattenkirk has two years at an annual $6.65 million cap hit remaining on the four-year, $26.6 million contract he signed as a free agent July 1, 2017. It was an offer to which the Rangers couldn’t say no after it was pitched to them by the New Rochelle native’s representative. Shattenkirk has a modified no-trade clause. Last July, per his contract, he provided the Blueshirts with a list of 10 teams that are off-limits.

“It’s different than last time, I’m not a rental, but even then I was surprised that I went to Washington,” Shattenkirk said. “I know what this time of year is like, but it’s not uppermost on my mind. I’m not thinking about my game in correlation with the trade deadline.”

When Shattenkirk signed, the Rangers were perennial contenders, always seeking that one additional piece to put them over the top. Alain Vigneault was behind a bench filled with veterans that included captain Ryan McDonagh, with whom Shattenkirk looked forward to partnering on the blue line and parading up the Canyon of Heroes. Shattenkirk and McDonagh played as a pair in the first game then the first period of the second game of 2017-18. That was it. That was then. This is now.

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“My feelings about being here and being a Ranger have not changed, but it obviously hasn’t gone the way I hoped or anyone hoped,” he said. “I came into this year, though, with a positive, fresh mindset. There’d been enough time last year when I wasn’t playing to think about the changes and their impact on all of us here.

“What I’ve done is focus on the process, and I’ve found that to be very beneficial. I think I’m more patient, focusing on making progress individually and as a team. It’s different after playing on winning teams for so long. We’re a young team with young players getting a lot of responsibility, which I understand, but with that, there are going to be mistakes. That can be frustrating.

“But what the coaches have taught me is to help out the younger guys because that was me once and I was there, too. Sometimes I forget that.”