With just a few weeks to go before the 2023 NHL trade deadline, everyone is watching the Chicago Blackhawks and Patrick Kane. The legendary forward has full control of his future with a no-movement clause but is on an expiring contract and playing for a bad team.
Mark Lazerus of The Athletic got an update on the situation from Kane today, who explained that his agent Pat Brisson has already heard from a few interested teams. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period tweets that the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers are among those teams. The veteran winger has no decision yet on his future, and it likely will be a last-second choice at the deadline.
Not only will that give teams time to assess their situation, it also reduces the amount of cap space Kane would require. Every day that goes by, it becomes more likely that a team can fit him in – with the help of a little salary retention from the Blackhawks (and possibly a third team).
It’s more than just choosing the right playoff team to join, though. Kane has spent his entire career in Chicago, winning three Stanley Cup championships and becoming arguably the greatest American-born player of all time. While this year hasn’t gone to plan, it’s hard to imagine him pulling on a different sweater.
Of course, that may happen regardless in the summer, should the Blackhawks not attempt to re-sign the 34-year-old. There are 13 games left before the trade deadline – the final one coming in Chicago against the Dallas Stars on March 2. It will be an emotional evening if that is the end of Kane’s time (and that of Jonathan Toews, potentially) with the Blackhawks.
As a season ticket holder I hope the hawks re-sign him, watching him play is amazing. I understand why he would want to move on but the organization should want to keep great players as long as possible. Honest question here, when has trading an all time great ever helped an organization become great again ?
It’s pretty axiomatic these days that a team’s success is strongly linked to its superstars willing to take less money than the market would give them. What happens to the Bruins’ season, for instance, if *either* Bergeron or Krejci demanded market value? Boston didn’t have the cap space to sign one of them to a competitive contract, never mind both of them.
No mention of the rumour circulating that he may need hip surgery?
@drew ford—NHL.com may want to cover this up, but I now count at least three sources for the hip surgery concern:
Arthur Staple of The Athletic (Thanks to PHR)
Elliotte & Marek (32 Thoughts)
bleachernation.com
Other outlets are citing Arthur’s column. Like you, I’m wondering what’s going on here, too.
@Mac – How did you miss this from the article “Not only will that give teams time to asses their situation”. ROFL!
They better get their asses in gear if they want to land Kane. :D
@Gbear—I love Patrick Kane, but it’s as though the few teams that can be in that sweepstakes are going to be trading for a 3-legged horse. If he tries to play through that mess, he’ll be at a diminished capacity and is likely to need more games off. And, if he has surgery now, you would be looking to sign him for a short-(ish) term deal because of the nature of this injury. That is, of course, predicated on whether he would like to sign with that next team. I’d love to see him healthy and maybe help another team over the hump, but he’s also putting these mixed signals out about not wanting to leave CHI. You know teams are reassessing their situations, but planning to get Patrick Kane may not be a wise strategy with the latest health news. How about going after somebody who might be healthier come playoff time? Look at how many were Gung-Ho on Josh Anderson over the last two years, or so.
@Mac – Yeah, but assess vs asses. :D
@Gbear—Sorry about that! Now I see. Not to use excuses like a fractured eyeball or anything, but I honestly did blow a blood vessel in my eye, which has made reading and typing a bit of a struggle for the last few days. My eye feels like my asses right about now. :) It looks like it’s been corrected here, though. When I went over Lazarus’ post, I thought it strange that, apparently, Pat Brisson & Patrick said they might take their decision right up to the deadline. That’ll help teams drop out of the conversation. The other teams might need more notice to make personnel moves to accommodate him. Or, maybe that’s what Brisson & Kane actually want—to discourage suitors and stop the noise.
@Mac – Took a high stick to the eye, eh? Yet you got right back on the hockey boards because that’s what hockey fans do! ;)
Kane to the Rangers just makes so much sense. If he’s healthy though.
@Gbear—That’s a better story than real life! Let’s go with that one. I promptly went over to the sin bin and started cussing that guy out, until the timekeeper yelled at me, “He’s back over on his own bench, you idiot!” Then, adding insult to injury, Paul Stewart skates over and says, “You want me to call a penalty on him for that? You need to sit for two—embellishment!” Or, as Ralphie says, “Two for receiving”.
Kane (healthy) + Bread = Wow-some! And, they have more than just Trouba to keep the flies off of both of them. But, how does the $$$ work out for the Rangers?
@Mac – Rangers will need the Hawks to retain a chunk of that salary for sure. But they have some nice pieces to offer up for Kane.
Upon further review, the league admits they missed that high stick and to make things right will be sending you all 6 pucks that the Preds put on goal during the first 50 minutes of last nights game! :/
@Gbear—SIX?! Sounds like Hynes’ favorite book is “How to win in the NHL by passing it into the back of the net” or, “Can *anybody* on this squad actually gain the opponents’ blue line?” ;-()
Maybe the Kane deal to NYR (with his approval) may be a third-party retention this year?
Keeping Kane for nostalgic reasons is a brain dead business model, Every ounce of energy from the organization should be focused on trying to draft Bedard.
so if you dont get Bedard then you have neither? Franchise dead model there.
no amount of energy and focus can increase the 25% chance for the worst team in the league to win the lottery. If they don’t get Bedard, they still have 8 picks in rounds 1 and 2 in the next two drafts, in addition to whatever they get for Kane, Toews, McCabe . . . the franchise should be fine either way
Not at all, There are alot of great players in this years draft plus Kane’s better days are way behind him, The Hawks are full steam ahead to get back to a championship caliber club.
Kane indeed does need hip surgery It’s just a matter of when he’ll go forward with the procedure.
So you’re a Hawks team Doctor? Which one?
When did you last inspect Kane’s hip?
You don’t have to be a team doctor to know these things, Just put down the crack pipe and read.
Trade Toews and Kane if they’ll go forward with it. Bring back some talent. Blackhawks can always bring them back on short, reasonable deals if they, and the organization want it.
I don’t think the org wants in. Time to move on.
Kane should be a Hawk for life.
Winnipeg Jets Should Become There New Team Yeahha U K!!!
Why should Kane be a Hawk for life? Good lord! Gretzky played for 5 professional teams. I love the old school meathead Chicago fans. Bring back Butkas and Ditka to.