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Patrick Kane

Rangers Not Interested In Signing Patrick Kane

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The New York Rangers are not interested in bringing back free-agent winger Patrick Kane for a continued stint with the team, Larry Brooks of the New York Post reported late Tuesday night. While Chris Johnston of TSN reported last week that the Rangers were one of four Eastern Conference teams interested in the three-time Stanley Cup champion, and Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff said the Rangers had interest in Kane last month, Brooks claims the Rangers “have never been in the mix” for the almost-35-year-old.

Salary cap considerations were always going to be a prohibiting factor in a potential Kane reunion in the Big Apple. Carrying a 20-man roster, plus factoring in the cap hits of the injured Filip Chytil and Adam Fox, the Rangers have less than $650K in projected cap space, which couldn’t even accommodate a league-minimum salary of $775K.

As Brooks points out, there’s also an extremely fair concern around Kane’s health post-hip-resurfacing surgery – a concern the Rangers witnessed first-hand last season after Kane’s post-deadline stint with the team was underwhelming. While whatever issue that was plaguing him has theoretically been fixed, no NHLer has returned to their previous level of effectiveness after undergoing the procedure.

There’s also something to be said about the long-awaited emergence of Alexis Lafrenière. New head coach Peter Laviolette has done what Rangers fans have clamored for since the team selected him first-overall in 2020 – move him to his off-wing in order to give him a role in the team’s top six. Playing on the right side of a line with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck, Lafrenière ranks third on the team in goals with seven and has 11 points in 14 contests while averaging 16:32 per game.

His emergence has certainly eliminated a potential need (and ice time) for Kane in the Rangers lineup, something GM Chris Drury likely recognizes. Lafrenière is already out-pacing Kane’s stint with the Rangers last season – in 19 games, the longtime Blackhawk had five goals and 12 points while averaging 17:29 per game.

Kane has reportedly begun the process of meeting with teams as he prepares to sign a contract, which will likely be done within a week. As of now, the Florida Panthers, who would have salary cap concerns of their own to sort out, appear the frontrunner for his services, according to a report from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet on Monday.

Latest On Patrick Kane’s Free Agency

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John Shannon of The Bob McCown podcast tweeted that unrestricted free agent forward Patrick Kane met with the Toronto Maple Leafs today. While the news is sure to get fans and hockey pundits talking, it is just the beginning of the process. Kane has been training in nearby Oakville, Ontario and likely talked to the Maple Leafs first because of proximity.

Shannon followed up his first tweet by adding that the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars and Buffalo Sabres appear to be on the list of interest teams. While most of those teams have come up before in rumors, Dallas and Tampa Bay are a couple of new teams on the list.

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski further added to the Kane speculation tonight as he believes that Kane will interview up to eight teams this week including the Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers who have both been mentioned in recent weeks.

While every team in the league is likely to have an interest in a player with Kane’s pedigree, Kane is looking to play specifically for a cup contender. The veteran of 1180 NHL games does have three Stanley Cups to his name but is looking to add another milestone to his hall-of-fame resume.

Kane does come with some question marks though as he is coming off a very serious hip surgery after a down season last year with the Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks. The 34-year-old had 21 goals and 36 assists last season in 73 games but did add six points in seven playoff games. The type of surgery Kane had does not have a strong track record of success in hockey players which further complicates any contract talks that Kane might have with interested teams.

Florida Panthers In Aggressive Pursuit Of Patrick Kane

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A little over half a week ago, it was reported that on his way back from hip surgery, Patrick Kane had been linked to four teams within the Eastern Conference; the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, and New York Rangers. Most likely looking for his best chance to compete for another Stanley Cup towards the end of his career, the Panthers and Rangers seem to be the best potential fits for Kane moving forward.

In his podcast, 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said, “We’re starting to get close to the Patrick Kane decision, I think this week he’s going to start talking to some teams. Bill Zito, the GM of Florida, has been one of the most aggressive GMs when it comes to Kane” (X Link).

It’s relatively unsurprising to see that the Panthers are becoming more aggressive in their pursuit of Kane, as although the defending Eastern Conference Champions are off to a solid 9-4-1 start, they still sit 19th in the league in GF/G. So far this year, their defense (notably missing both Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad), as well as their goaltending have been the driving factor in their entry out of the gates this season.

However, Florida will have a difficult time fitting Kane into the mix, as when Montour and Ekblad eventually come back into the fold, the team will have less than $100K available to them in cap space. If Kane is willing to sign a league minimum contract for one season, the Panthers should be able to fit Kane in, but they will have to make some moves to make that happen.

Overall, even if the Panthers are the most aggressive in bringing Kane into their lineup, that does not necessarily mean he will end up in Florida. Being a hometown native of Buffalo, as well as a former Ranger, Kane should have a certain comfortability in returning home to New York state if he so chooses. Also, as has been typical over the last several seasons during his tenure as General Manager of the Detroit Red Wings, Steve Yzerman has notably kept his cards very close to the chest.

Patrick Kane Talking With Four Eastern Conference Teams

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Chris Johnston reported on TSN Insider Trading today that unrestricted free agent forward Patrick Kane and his agent Pat Brisson have formally opened discussions with teams about the 34-year-old’s next contract. It is believed that Kane is talking to at least four Eastern Conference teams and possibly even a fifth.

Kane opted to have offseason hip surgery after dealing with a nagging injury for most of last season. He had the procedure on June 1st and was expected to have a 4–6-month recovery period. He appears to be on track to return to the NHL within that timeline. The injury likely hindered the three-time Stanley Cup Champion’s play last season as Kane had a down year offensively, registering just 21 goals and 36 assists in 73 games split between the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers.

Johnston believes that the clubs Kane is talking to are the Rangers, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, and the Detroit Red Wings. Each of those teams makes sense, given Kane’s circumstances. Kane played with the Rangers last year and has a certain level of familiarity with the group. He is from Buffalo, and the Sabres are a team that is on the rise and could certainly use another scoring forward. Florida went to the Stanley Cup finals last year and often seems to be a popular destination for free agents. And finally, the Red Wings acquired one of Kane’s favorite players to play with, Alex DeBrincat.

Kane’s signing could certainly shift the balance in a very strong Eastern Conference if he can return to being even a fraction of the player he once was. He is just two years removed from a 92-point season and was a point-a-game player in 12 of 13 seasons before last year.

The biggest concern with Kane is that the hip resurfacing surgery he had is a tough one to recover from. Nicklas Backstrom has struggled to return from the procedure after having it last year, and Ryan Kesler was never able to return after having it in 2019. Mike Sillinger and Ed Jovanovski are two other players who had the same surgery, and neither was able to return for a significant period, although Jovanovski was able to play 37 games during the 2013-14 season. The surgery is typically for people in their 50s and is not commonly done for people under the age of 40. It is not without success in athletes, though, as tennis star Andy Murray has had the procedure and had a successful return to the court.

Snapshots: Kane, Zub, Werenski

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In the most recent 32 Thoughts podcast episode, Elliotte Friedman added credence to the idea that star free agent Patrick Kane could sign with the Dallas Stars. Friedman says that a very reliable source shared the likelihood of Kane landing in Dallas, adding that the stylistic fit could be good for the aging veteran.

The Stars rapidly rise up the power rankings of teams likely to land Kane, leapfrogging the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, and Buffalo Sabres. Dallas has flexed a very deep forward group this season, providing nearly identical ice time to each of their top three lines. The only weak spot is likely 34-year-old winger Evgenii Dadonov, who’s spent the year alongside Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn. This could be the role that Kane takes over if he joins the Stars; bringing a little more mobility and finesse to the line.

Only three forwards in Dallas’ top nine have scored a goal at this point in the year: Joe Pavelski, Benn, and Roope Hintz. Kane’s all-out-offensive style may be enough to kickstart the Stars’ scorers.

Other notes from around the league:

Rangers Have Shown Interest In Patrick Kane

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It’s nearing decision time for the best free agent remaining on the market. Longtime Chicago Blackhawk and brief New York Ranger Patrick Kane is almost at the end of a long recovery process from hip resurfacing surgery, and multiple reports expect Kane to start contract discussion with teams in the coming days to determine his playing home for 2023-24.

Multiple teams have reported interest in Kane throughout the summer and into the season. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli threw a new name into the mix today: a reunion with the Rangers, whom Seravalli says “are paying attention to Kane” as he nears a return. Seravalli had the following to say about the Rangers’ interest:

You saw what they had to give up last year to get him; they knew at the time he wasn’t fully healthy. It didn’t quite come together like it probably should have, but I think they were really impressed with the way he entered and was a leader. They were just kind of hoping, wishing and praying he’d be at the Kane 88 showtime level we are used to. I think in the back of his mind, he’s also certainly intrigued on what it would be like to go back there. Maybe sort of finally put that piece back together. 

The Rangers acquired Kane in a three-way deal with the Coyotes last February, trading a second and fourth-round pick to the Blackhawks and a third-round pick to the Coyotes to retain half of his contract. They also sent minor-league defenseman Andy Welinski to the Blackhawks in the trade. Kane’s stint in the Big Apple was underwhelming considering his reputation, but many fans weren’t surprised at his solid but not star-level play. He potted five goals and seven assists in 19 games down the stretch and added a goal and five assists in the team’s first-round loss to the Devils. Still, his nagging hip injury and long-declining advanced metrics limited his effectiveness.

Most wrote off an offseason reunion due to the Rangers’ cap constraints, which will remain a considerable roadblock in a potential deal. CapFriendly lists the Rangers with just $675K in cap space with a roster of 22 players, not even enough to accommodate a league-minimum deal. Hypothetically, the Rangers could send a player down and use the cap space to sign Kane, but they’d only be able to offer around $1.4MM per season in that case. That’s an offer other teams are likely to beat, namely the Buffalo Sabres, whom Seravalli affirms have interest in the forward after previous reports linked them into the conversation last month. Trading a forward – potentially $3.6MM man Barclay Goodrow – seems likelier.

Seravalli also acknowledged previous reports that Kane is interested in joining the Red Wings and reuniting with former Chicago linemate Alex DeBrincat. However, like others who reported on the link, he did not say if Detroit was interested in signing him.

Patrick Kane Won’t Talk To Teams Until Late October

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TSN Insider Darren Dreger is reporting that unrestricted free agent forward Patrick Kane isn’t likely to start talking with teams until the end of October. Kane’s agent, Pat Brisson has been receiving a lot of calls on the three-time Stanley Cup Champion, but they won’t have meetings with teams until more medical information is available in mid-late October.

Kane has been rehabbing from hip resurfacing surgery that he had on June 1st and his initial timetable was 4-6 months to recover from the procedure. If Kane does return at the end of October, he will fall right into the window of the initial projection.

Kane’s contract situation is sure to be a tricky one as fellow TSN Insider Chris Johnston points out. Most teams that would be of interest to Kane are pressed right up against the salary cap ceiling and wouldn’t have very many avenues available to fit in Kane’s next contract. The 34-year-old is ineligible for a 35+ contract as he is five months short of hitting that mark, and a signing bonus would create other problems for an interested team.

Little is known about who a frontrunner for Kane’s services would be. The Buffalo Sabres have been thrown around in rumor mills as they have over $8MM in cap space and are Kane’s hometown team, but nothing concrete has emerged from the speculation.

It seems unlikely that Kane will be able to get much more than a one-year deal since he is signing in season. However, teams have found ways to get creative in the past with the salary cap so it shouldn’t be ruled out.

Kane was still a very productive player last season posting 21 goals and 36 assists in 73 games. However, it is unknown how he will play after surgery. Players who have had this surgery in the past have not typically had very successful returns. Ed Jovanovski had it a decade ago and was only able to play 37 games after the surgery before he was forced to retire.

Nicklas Backstrom is also currently going through the same process as Kane and returned last season to dress in 39 games posting seven goals and 14 assists. While those numbers are far off his career norms, Backstrom is in his mid-30s and missed training camp. Something Kane will also have to contend with.

Buffalo Sabres Showing Interest In Patrick Kane

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Since it became apparent Patrick Kane would hit the free agent market this summer, speculation immediately turned toward him joining the up-and-coming Buffalo Sabres. After all, they are his hometown team, and without a return to either the Chicago Blackhawks or the New York Rangers due to cap constraints in the cards, it seemed like a logical option.

However, throughout the summer, multiple teams were mentioned as having shown interest in one of the greatest American wingers of all time, including teams such as the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and New York Islanders. Buffalo’s name never truly came up outside of pure speculation – until today. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that as Kane nears recovery from offseason hip surgery, the Sabres do indeed have interest in adding him to their roster.

Dreger added that Kane’s rehab is going well and that he continues to train in Toronto, as he’s been doing for the past two months. He’s not expected to be ready for opening night should a team sign him before then, however, and requires at least another month before he’s ready to play. That’s still just a four-month recovery window from when he had the surgery in June, certainly on the short end of his timeline.

While Colorado always seemed like a natural fit given their vacancy in the top six left by captain Gabriel Landeskog’s injury, they decided earlier this month they weren’t willing to wait around for Kane to get healthy. They used most of their remaining LTIR relief from Landeskog to sign Slovak winger Tomas Tatar to a one-year deal, all but eliminating them from the running for Kane. Detroit had also been mentioned as a possible destination in some circles, but that had to do with Kane’s interest in playing there – not the other way around.

It leaves Buffalo as the only apparent option with a demonstrated interest in Kane that makes much sense. While the team is certainly of the mind to prioritize ice time for their young talent, the early-season absence of Jack Quinn will leave a noticeable void in the team’s top nine that could very well hamstring them out of the gate in a tough Atlantic Division. Banking on March trade acquisition Jordan Greenway to recoup much of Quinn’s lost value would be an unwise move given his own recent injury history and poor possession metrics.

Buffalo certainly has the cap space to make a deal work with $8.78MM in projected space remaining, per CapFriendly. It’s unlikely a short-term deal for Kane would cost anywhere close to that amount.

It’s also unlikely head coach Don Granato would consider breaking up the team’s top line of Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, which appears well on its way to being one of the best three-man units in the sport. He could, however, slide into a second-line role alongside Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt, which would allow Buffalo to drop Victor Olofsson down to a third-line spot – his ideal role at even strength. While skilled, he’s widely viewed as too much of a defensive liability to serve in a contending team’s top six.

The same could easily be said for Kane, although it remains to be seen how his hip procedure could impact his play for better or for worse. Kane has never been a dominant possession force, but his play-driving at both ends of the rink at even strength has ranked near the very bottom of the league for the last three seasons. That’s not to discount his skill fundamentals and power-play ability, which both remain well above average even as he enters his mid-30s.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Poll: Where Will Patrick Kane Sign?

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When Patrick Kane said he’d be undergoing a hip resurfacing procedure in June, it became clear he wouldn’t sign a new contract anywhere until deep into his recovery, closer to the start of the 2023-24 season. That’s exactly what happened – more than two months into free agency, the three-time Stanley Cup champion remains unsigned but, if you ask him, is ahead of schedule in his return to playing health.

Now, in the dog days of summer, rumors have been ramping up about where the longtime Blackhawks winger might end up. The Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and New York Islanders were named as potential suitors by The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta last month, while the Chicago Daily Herald’s John Dietz reported yesterday a desire to reunite with former teammate Alex DeBrincat may influence Kane to sign with the emerging Detroit Red Wings – if they come calling, that is. There’s been no reporting to suggest Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman has interest in acquiring Kane.

What remains a complete unknown is what Kane is willing to take in terms of payment on his next deal. He won’t receive anywhere close to his previous $10.5MM AAV, but how low is he willing to go on a one-year deal to join a potential contender? He’s also one year away from being eligible for a 35+ contract, meaning he cannot receive performance bonuses on a contract signed for this season.

The answer to that question could very well determine his options. If he wants something with more significant compensation, Colorado or Detroit will be his two options among the reported potential destinations. The Avs still have around $2MM in cap flexibility as captain Gabriel Landeskog is destined for LTIR, per CapFriendly, while the Red Wings have slightly over $5MM in space remaining. Dallas or New York wouldn’t be able to accommodate much above the league minimum $775K salary unless a corresponding trade is made.

The Buffalo Sabres, Kane’s hometown team, remains a wildcard option. There’s been nothing concrete connecting the two parties throughout the offseason, however – it remains just speculation.

Signing Kane would give Detroit a bonafide core of four top-six wingers with him, DeBrincat, David Perron, and Lucas Raymond, but is Kane still going to be able to handle first-line minutes on a playoff team without the star-studded help he had around him with the New York Rangers post-deadline last season? Given his pre-injury decline and recovery from such a severe procedure, it’s a fair worry to have.

All that said, we ask you, PHR readers: Where do you think Kane will end up when he signs for the 2023-24 season? Vote in our poll below:

Where will Patrick Kane sign?
Detroit Red Wings 30.30% (698 votes)
Other 26.13% (602 votes)
Buffalo Sabres 17.84% (411 votes)
Colorado Avalanche 17.01% (392 votes)
Dallas Stars 4.43% (102 votes)
New York Islanders 4.30% (99 votes)
Total Votes: 2,304

If you can’t access the poll above, click here to vote.

Multiple Teams Showing Interest In Patrick Kane

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While former Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers winger Patrick Kane may be the best UFA left on the market, no one expects him to sign a deal in the coming days. That’s because he’s still recovering from a hip resurfacing procedure he had done in June, which puts him on track to be cleared for game action sometime between October and December.

Speaking on NHL Network earlier this week, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta gave various updates on the 34-year-old, including three teams that had displayed “significant” interest earlier in the summer: the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and New York Islanders. Pagnotta also mentioned the Boston Bruins as a potential suitor but to a lesser degree.

Undoubtedly, teams will want to watch him practice before extending him a contract, even if it’s just a one-year pact, as expected. A significant hip procedure for an athlete as late into their career as Kane is no small factor in what his game may look like after he’s recovered. Pagnotta believes there should be clarity on Kane’s health status and a more specific potential return date in “four to five weeks,” which could also be a target date for Kane signing rumors heating up in earnest.

Out of all the suitors Pagnotta mentioned, Colorado has made sense for Kane since the offseason began and still does today. Colorado projects to have four new faces in their middle six next season (Ross Colton, Jonathan Drouin, Ryan Johansen, and Miles Wood), but their scoring depth remains rather thin. Few would argue Kane is anywhere close to his prime at this stage in his career, especially coming off hip surgery, but he could still allow the team to reliably let Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen drive the top two lines separately. Playing alongside MacKinnon could also very well jumpstart Kane’s production to the point where he’s providing rather immense value on what’s sure to be an already affordable contract.

As things stand, Colorado also has the most favorable salary cap situation out of the three major contenders Pagnotta mentioned. They’re projected to have $2.025MM in cap space with captain Gabriel Landeskog on long-term injured reserve, per CapFriendly. Meanwhile, the Stars and Islanders are both between $300K and $500K over the $83.5MM Upper Limit and will need to run a 22-player roster to be compliant, at least to start the season, assuming no further moves are made.

It’s hard to imagine a fit for Kane in Dallas, too. Their top nine is truly stacked, boasting one of the best lines in hockey followed by a combination of players like Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene, Wyatt Johnston, and Tyler Seguin occupying lines 2 and 3. While Kane may be a true upgrade on someone like Evgenii Dadonov, Dallas signed Dadonov to a two-year, $2.25MM AAV extension this offseason. That’s not money usually given to a player slated for a fourth-line role, especially for someone who relies on point production to maintain efficacy.

The Islanders would make much more sense from a roster construction standpoint if they can make the money work. Wingers like Pierre Engvall and Kyle Palmieri are fine middle-six wingers, but they’re not ideal second-line flanks for a team still boasting championship aspirations with Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat and Ilya Sorokin locked in for the long haul to rather hefty deals.

Regarding Boston, Kane may not be the top-six center they so desperately need, but he’d be a gigantic boon to a middle-six wing group that now looks awfully thin outside of Jake DeBrusk. Boston signed another veteran, James van Riemsdyk, to hopefully add a solid net-front punch, but after posting just 29 points in 61 games last season, expectations shouldn’t be high for the 34-year-old to be a high-end point-producing factor on the second or third line.

What may complicate fitting a contract for Kane under the cap is his lack of eligibility for performance bonuses. He’s still a year away from being eligible for a 35+ contract containing performance bonuses, and he didn’t miss significant time in-season with the hip injury. It removes the option for a team to give Kane a lower cap hit and compensate him more in performance bonuses, allowing them to deal with the after-effects in 2024-25 if they can’t fit the bonuses under their year-end cap hit.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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