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Patrick Kane

West Notes: Horvat, Meier, Kane

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During a difficult start to their season, one of the few bright spots on the Vancouver Canucks’ roster has been the play of captain Bo Horvat. Horvat currently ranks second in the NHL with 15 goals, and has 21 points in 19 games. But while his hot start is good news for Horvat and Canucks fans, it may be giving Vancouver’s management team some headaches. That’s because Horvat is a pending unrestricted free agent, and the better he plays, the larger the contract he’ll be able to receive this summer gets. And while they are undoubtedly thrilled from an on-ice perspective that Horvat is playing well, his hot start may complicate his future in Vancouver. As team president Jim Rutherford has said that the Canucks’ priority will be gaining long-term financial flexibility, not losing it, many have wondered if Horvat is pricing himself out of Vancouver’s long-term plans.

Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports that communication between Horvat’s representation and the Canucks have been “scarce,” and that there is a belief that contract talks between the two parties “broke off before training camp and have not resumed.” Since the going rate for productive top-six centermen is $7MM per year at the absolute minimum (with upwards of $8MM being the more realistic number) it’s fair to wonder if the Canucks have the desire to extend Horvat rather than deal him to a contender for a major compensation package.

For some other notes regarding Western Conference players:

  • San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier isn’t a pending unrestricted free agent, but his expensive qualifying offer (he’s making $10MM this season on just a $6MM cap hit) and the current state of the Sharks (7-11-3, 25th in the NHL) leads one to believe that his time in San Jose could be coming to an end. Seravalli writes that it’s “unlikely” that the Sharks commit to a long-term pact with Meier, meaning a trade could be the most likely outcome for his future in teal. According to Seravalli, Meier’s “starting value on the [trade] market is considerably less than the Alex DeBrincat deal last summer,” the deal that netted the Blackhawks three draft picks, including the seventh-overall selection.
  • Legendary forward Patrick Kane could be the most sought-after name on this spring’s trade market, and it appears that the process of working towards trading him is set to begin soon. Per Seravalli, the Chicago Blackhawks are expected to “begin an initial conversation with Kane to gauge his interest in a trade.” Kane has full no-move protection, meaning he controls much of this trade process. Kane has been a Blackhawk for his entire career, so it’s certainly possible that being traded isn’t something he’ll allow. But if he wants to chase another Stanley Cup, remaining a Blackhawk won’t get him there.

No Rush To Patrick Kane Trade Talks

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The Chicago Blackhawks beat the San Jose Sharks 5-2 over the weekend, bringing their record to 1-2 on the young season. Already the team has actually looked better than advertised, but that still likely won’t be enough to keep them out of the bottom of the standings. The simple fact is that they are trying to lose, and even with some encouraging early performances (especially from captain Jonathan Toews), the team’s skill and depth have been stripped as they enter a full rebuild.

That continues to lead to questions about the future of Patrick Kane, who has just one point in those three games and is playing just 19 minutes a night. In discussion with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, Kane’s agent Pat Brisson of CAA Sports compares the situation to the one that played out in Philadelphia last season with Flyers captain Claude Giroux. The superstar forward had played his whole career with one team, but it was obvious that there would not be a future between the two sides, and the Flyers weren’t going to be competitive.

Giroux eventually accepted a deal at the deadline, and that’s exactly the way it appears to be going with Kane. Brisson says they will “probably explore things at the appropriate time” later in the year, and once again confirmed that the Blackhawks have not and will not pressure his client into waiving his no-trade clause.

While LeBrun suggests that there could be some benefit in getting Kane earlier, it is important to remember the cap effects. Every day that passes means an acquiring team has more room to pay for the star winger, meaning more contenders could potentially enter the fray. With a full no-movement clause Kane will be in charge of the destination (as Giroux was), but perhaps teams that weren’t expected to be in the mix will emerge over the next few months.

Either way, it sounds as though there is a real chance that the market has a Hall of Fame prize this year, as Kane is still one of the very best offensive pieces in the league. Last season, he scored 26 goals and 92 points in 78 games, the third-best total of his career.

There is also the question of what happens after this season is over. In Giroux’s case, he took his family back home after a short trip in the sun and signed with the Ottawa Senators. Buffalo Sabres fans will certainly like the sounds of that, given Kane is from the city. He did also live in Detroit as a teenager, and the Red Wings are another emerging club. LeBrun points to the New York Rangers and New York Islanders as two teams who will likely have interest if he hits the market as a trade piece.

Regardless, this will be an interesting few months for hockey fans to keep an eye on the Blackhawks, even if they aren’t winning very many games.

Snapshots: Kane, Valimaki, Has

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It seems it’s no longer an “if,” but instead a “when and where” that the Chicago Blackhawks trade franchise-great Patrick Kane. With Chicago escalating its rebuilding efforts this offseason, lead by the trade of Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators, it seemed Kane was as good as gone this summer too. However, the veteran has a full no-movement clause in his contract and appears keen on taking a wait-and-see approach this season with where he would want to be dealt. Still, given the tight squeeze on the salary cap for many teams, the forward’s impending free agency, and the fact that he’s still playing near the top of his game, finding a match on his shortlist of teams could prove to be a challenge nonetheless. One team that could be a fit is the Boston Bruins, but those challenges mentioned above pose as much of an issue to them as anyone else. The Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont acknowledges those challenges, but looks to find a path to a deal between the two Original Six squads.

Given Kane’s $10.5MM cap hit, of which the Blackhawks can retain 50% in a trade, and Boston being $1.44MM over the salary cap ceiling, Chicago would certainly have to take some salary back from Boston. This might not be an issue, Dupont says, as the team could realistically craft a package around one or both of forward Jake DeBrusk and defenseman Brandon Carlo, who carry cap hits of $4MM and $4.1MM respectively. These two aren’t the sort of young prospects or premier draft picks Chicago would hope to acquire, but could represent a collection of young talent that would help get things moving forward more quickly for the Blackhawks. Dupont also points to youngsters Jakub Zboril or Jack Studnicka as an additional sweetener if needed, but does raise concern if a first-round draft pick was needed on top of this package.

  • It’s once again that time of year where we’ll see at least a dozen players, if not more, hit the waiver wire each day, with some very intriguing names as part of that. Today’s crop of waiver-wire finds includes a pair of former top Avalanche prospects in Martin Kaut and Shane Bowers, who may still have room to grow, an intriguing defenseman in Mark Friedman, as well as another young 2017 first round pick like Bowers in that of Calgary Flames defenseman Juuso Valimaki. Considering the amount of players on waivers and teams needing to trim their rosters, many players that would be claimed any other time of the year, are able to be snuck through. However, Hailey Salvian of The Athletic believes Valimaki might not be able to sneak through so easily. Losing someone like Valimaki, who still has some upside, for nothing wouldn’t be ideal for Calgary, but for Valimaki, Salvian points out, it could be a fresh start, perhaps with an opportunity to once again establish himself as an everyday NHLer.
  • The Hershey Bears, the AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, have signed defenseman Martin Has to a one-year AHL deal, the team announced. That news alone doesn’t seem to make it much different from any other AHL signing, however it does carry with it the caveat that Has is a Capitals draft pick who has not signed an ELC, but is still eligible for one. Has was a fifth-round selection of the Capitals back in 2019, but has seen limited game action prior to last season. The 21-year-old defenseman did put together a solid year in 2021-22 though, getting into 57 games as a member of the Shawinigan Cataractes in the QMJHL, recording 20 points. The Capitals have one year remaining in order to decide whether or not they would like to offer Has his ELC, otherwise he will become a free agent next summer.

Snapshots: Kane, White, Red Wings

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With the Blackhawks clearly embarking on a large-scale rebuild, there has been an expectation that long-time star winger Patrick Kane will be on the move.  However, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports (audio link) that the veteran isn’t interested in being traded this offseason.  Instead, if a deal is going to happen, it will come closer to the trade deadline.  From a cap standpoint, that would be more palatable for contending teams when three-quarters of his $10.5MM will be paid off.  Kane has full control over where he moves but it appears that move won’t be coming for a while yet.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Panthers center Colin White told Ian Mendes of The Athletic (subscription link) that his preference this summer was to sign a one-year contract over pursuing a multi-year agreement on the open market. Some had speculated he’d follow long-time agent Kent Hughes to Montreal and while White mentioned he gave some consideration to doing so, he decided that it was more important to go to a winning team.  While White is coming off a pair of injury-plagued seasons, the 25-year-old could be an upside signing for Florida on his one-year, $1.2MM deal.
  • While extension talks between the Red Wings and Dylan Larkin clearly haven’t resulted in a new deal yet, MLive’s Ansar Khan believes an agreement, whenever it does get reached, should give the Michigan native maximum term and an AAV in the $8MM range. The 26-year-old isn’t the prototypical number one center from an offensive standpoint as he has never reached the point-per-game mark but he has logged more than 20 minutes a game on average over the past five seasons.  If a deal does get done in that price range, it would represent a roughly $2MM increase on what Larkin is making now.
  • Robert Mastrosimone’s decision to leave Boston University for Arizona State University raised some eyebrows but Khan notes in a separate column that the Red Wings were on board with the idea of him transferring. The 21-year-old was a second-round pick in 2019 (52nd overall) and was coming off a good season with the Terriers that saw him put up 25 points in 34 games but he should have an opportunity for a bigger role with the Sun Devils next season in the hopes that a good showing will give him an entry-level deal.

Latest On Patrick Kane

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It’s clear that the veteran leadership in the Chicago Blackhawks dressing room is disappointed in the direction of the franchise the last few months, selling off young, core pieces for future assets. General manager Kyle Davidson has suggested it will be a five-plus year rebuild, something that doesn’t sound appealing to captain Jonathan Toews.

Unlike Toews, who has struggled in recent years to stay healthy and productive, Patrick Kane is still one of the most dynamic offensive players in the league and would likely draw a crowd if made available. While David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period tweets that the Blackhawks have engaged in trade discussions regarding Kane and lists the Dallas Stars as one of the teams with recent interest, Mark Lazerus of The Athletic has thrown cold water on any speculation. Lazerus has been informed by a source that there have been no trade talks so far, though admits that teams are likely “sniffing around” on the superstar forward.

Kane, of course, holds most of the power here, with a full no-movement clause that allows him to dictate who he can be traded to, and when. If he wanted to stay in Chicago for the final year of his current contract, there’s nothing that the Blackhawks could do about it. If he’s willing to move though, it represents another high-priced asset that could allow Davidson to add even more talent to the team down the road.

For many fans in Chicago though, trading Kane (or Toews) is more than just moving out an asset. The first-overall pick in 2007 has spent his entire career with the Blackhawks, winning three Stanley Cup championships, a Calder Trophy, the Hart, Pearson, and Art Ross all in the same year, and a Conn Smythe. He has 1,180 points in 1,107 games and would be a lock for the Hall of Fame even if he retired today.

At 33, he is still very much a dominant presence in the NHL and scored 92 points just this past season. That actually might be part of the reason why the Blackhawks would want to move him in the first place. In a season in which they appear to be tanking for the best odds in the 2023 draft, Kane’s presence could potentially elevate teammates to competitive status and help them win too many games.

So while Toews has been vocal with some of his frustration, Kane remains the player most fans are focused on this offseason. If he gives the okay, there will likely be an arms race to try and acquire him, especially if the Blackhawks are willing to retain half of his remaining contract (and why wouldn’t they, really). Kane carries a cap hit of $10.5MM but is due just $6.9MM this season, with $4MM of that to be paid in signing bonuses.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Latest On Jonathan Toews

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It wasn’t too many years ago that Jonathan Toews and his Chicago Blackhawks were at the top of the league’s pecking order, but it somehow also seems like the team’s rebuild has dragged on for too long with no end in sight. It’s an arduous process that’s called Toews’ (and Patrick Kane’s) future with the team into question, as the Blackhawks legends are just one year away from the expiration of their contracts and unrestricted free agency. Speaking with The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus, Toews says he “really doesn’t know” what the future holds for him and said the idea of a lengthy rebuild “[didn’t] sound appealing.”

In his interview, Toews spoke frankly about Chicago’s moves since the turn of the calendar year, specifically referencing the team’s trades involving Brandon Hagel, Alex DeBrincat, and Kirby Dach. Calling it “unfortunate that it’s come to that,” Toews especially named Dach as a player he felt he had under his wing and had developed a good mentor relationship with.

On a more positive note for Toews and Blackhawks fans, he spoke highly of the team’s expected approach under new head coach Luke Richardson. If he isn’t approached about a trade prior to the season (he does still have a full no-movement clause), he said he’s “really excited” to play under Richardson and his hard-working approach.

Regardless, this is a significant crossroads for Toews and the Blackhawks organization. Considering his declining production and recent health issues, it could very well be that this is simply Toews’ last season playing in the NHL. Toews had just 37 points in 71 games last season, and even his half-retained cap hit of $5.25MM might be too hard to stomach for most interested teams. If Toews plans to either retire or sign elsewhere in free agency, Chicago risks ill-affordable poor asset management by not getting potential trade value in return for Toews.

With that said, it’s nearly impossible to predict when Toews’ trade value would be highest. Does Chicago bank on Toews having a rebound year, allowing them to get a higher return closer to the trade deadline, or do they trade him prior to the season in anticipation of declining value? It’s a delicate, tricky situation as all parties are concerned.

Latest On Patrick Kane

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With the Chicago Blackhawks deciding to rebuild halfway through their previous rebuild, speculation has run rampant about all-time great Patrick Kane’s future with the team. If dealt, he’d be one of the best players and biggest names traded in the past few seasons, joining blockbuster deals like the Jack Eichel and Erik Karlsson trades. However, TSN’s Darren Dreger today pumped the brakes on trade rumors, saying that Kane’s camp “remains undecided” and that any rumors at this point are purely speculative.

At 33 years old, Kane still has 100-point potential while logging heavy minutes. He hasn’t hit that mark since posting 110 points in 2018-19, but he’s stayed well above a point-per-game pace since then on a continually struggling Blackhawks squad. One of the most decorated American-born players of all time, his playing ability still remains very close to his prime.

It’s because of that fact that a potential trade seems so realistic to fans around the league. It would’ve seemed a guarantee just a few seasons ago that Kane would remain a Blackhawk for life, but as the team failed to rebuild quickly (or properly in the slightest) and management changed hands drastically, no one would blame him for not wanting to waste the last few seasons of his peak on a sinking ship.

With or without Kane, Chicago figures to be a bottom-five team next year with little doubt. Trading him could, however, end up being the difference between a top-five selection and the 2023 first overall selection, which would land them a potentially generational center in Connor Bedard.

Just one season away from unrestricted free agency, it could make a lot of sense for Chicago to deal him ahead of the season too. While they might not get as high of a return without an extension in place for Kane with his new team, it could open the door for him to return to the team in 2023-24 to potentially usher Bedard into the league if they do land the top pick.

Regardless, Kane’s choice will be an important one to watch as the offseason progresses. He’ll still command a fair bit of salary cap space even if Chicago does retain salary, unless the acquiring team wishes to pay a third team extra assets in order to retain additional salary.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Kane, Talbot, Kase

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As the league begins to decompress from a busy NHL Draft with some blockbuster news, the Chicago Blackhawks are sure to be in the forefront of many discussions after being one of the most active teams on the market this week. One question that remains to be answered is how their Hall of Fame talent feels about the club’s direction. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta confirms today that the team will reach out to winger Patrick Kane “in the very near future” to have a conversation about his future with the team.

Both Kane and Jonathan Toews each have just one year remaining on their matching contracts, both carrying a cap hit of $10.5MM. They also both have full say in what the future holds for them in the form of full no-movement clauses. If one or both do end up wanting a trade out of Chicago in order to make another championship run, it makes sense that the Blackhawks would want to know now. The highest value for them will likely be this offseason, as the risk of declining performance could lower their trade value by next year’s deadline.

  • There’s some good old-fashioned drama in the State of Hockey. Many believed the Minnesota Wild had reinforced their goaltending situation by re-signing Marc-Andre Fleury to a two-year contract yesterday, but as quotes from general manager Bill Guerin and Cam Talbot’s agent George Bazos reveal, Talbot may not be entirely happy with the team’s choice to keep Fleury around. Bazos gave a cryptic quote after meeting with Guerin during the third round of today’s draft, saying that Guerin “had a lot to think about.” Guerin countered later, reminding media that Talbot is still under contract, and said that “George can say whatever the hell he wants.” If the relationship turns sour quickly between Talbot and the Wild, it could leave them in an interesting position next season in the crease.
  • The deadline for issuing qualifying offers to restricted free agents is July 11, and the Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t made a decision on whether or not to qualify winger Ondrej Kase. Kase is eligible for arbitration, and after producing 27 points in 50 games, the award might be too rich for Toronto’s blood if Kase elects for it. Not issuing a qualifying offer to Kase wouldn’t prevent him from returning to Toronto, but it would make him an unrestricted free agent, and could sign anywhere in the league.

Central Notes: Burakovsky, Raffl, Blackhawks

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Colorado could get some help for Sunday’s sixth game against the Lightning.  Speaking with reporters today including NHL.com’s Tracey Myers, head coach Jared Bednar indicated that winger Andre Burakovsky will accompany the Avalanche to Tampa Bay and is a possibility to play in that contest.  The 27-year-old suffered what is believed to be a hand injury in the second game of the series, taking away one of their key secondary scorers.  After recording 61 points in the regular season, Burakovsky has eight in a dozen playoff contests so far.  Officially, he remains listed as day-to-day.

Elsewhere in the Central:

  • Stars GM Jim Nill recently told reporters, including Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News, that they tendered a contract offer to pending UFA winger Michael Raffl although it clearly hasn’t been accepted. The 33-year-old managed just 16 points in 76 games this season despite averaging 14:32 per game of ice time so it’s likely that offer came in below the $1.1MM he made in 2021-22.  As a depth player, it’s possible he could have an eye on returning overseas to finish off his playing career.
  • While some have speculated about the possibility of the Blackhawks moving one or both of franchise stalwarts Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews this summer, Scott Powers of The Athletic reports (subscription link) that the veterans aren’t being shopped and if they do wind up going elsewhere, it will be at their request. The idea of discussing extensions with them hasn’t been ruled out either although that isn’t expected to happen this summer as all sides want to see how things go in what’s expected to be a rebuilding year in Chicago.  Kane and Toews are each under contract through next season at a $10.5MM cap hit.

Kane And Toews Welcome To Stay Through Blackhawks Rebuild

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When then-interim general manager Kyle Davidson was officially handed the job, he made it clear that the Chicago Blackhawks were headed for a rebuild. He then quickly doubled down on those plans by trading away up-and-coming forward Brandon Hagel for a package of first-round picks and pro-ready prospects. Davidson has also discussed trades for fellow young forwards Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Strome and has been less than committal about re-signing veteran defenseman Calvin de Haan, who would like to return.

The situation has raised many questions about the futures of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. The duo have long been the franchise cornerstones of the Blackhawks and will see their numbers in the rafters of the United Center one day. However, they each have just one season remaining on their current contracts and if they want to compete for yet another Stanley Cup before their careers come to a close, they will likely have to leave Chicago for the first time in their careers.  Toews has already been vocal about his disappointment with the direction of the club, moving into a rebuild while there is still some veteran talent on the roster, and has questioned whether he would go elsewhere to end his career. Meanwhile, Kane is still one of the most dangerous offensive players in the NHL, fresh off of a 92-point season. If he does not plan to re-sign with the Blackhawks, the team can charge a king’s ransom to trade him this off-season.

Yet, it seems that Davidson’s rebuild plan may not require that his future Hall of Famers go elsewhere. Speaking to the media today, Davidson responded to a question from the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope about how Toews and Kane fit into the Blackhawks’ future:

There’s definitely a place for Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane moving forward. I don’t think there’s any question about that. What their roles are and how they fit into things, that’s part of the dialogue that we’re having. [We’re] being very honest about with how we see their role and what we need out of them moving forward. They’re fully aware of what those [views] are, and there’s going to be questions and further conversations to really firm that up because it is something that isn’t… solved with one conversation or understood with one conversation.

Having them around is something we’re never going to shy away from because they can show this next wave of players how it’s done. And you never know, maybe they could be part of (this) when we’re back to having success. We don’t know the timeline of any of that yet, but [with their] amount of experience, the understanding of what it takes to be a good professional, what it takes to develop into a high quality professional and then win at the professional level, that experience and understanding is invaluable, so absolutely there is a place for 19 and 88 with the Blackhawks in any form that they wish.

Davidson certainly didn’t parse his words. He understands that the situation may not be ideal for his iconic veterans, but if they are willing to stick it out then he is willing to keep them. If Toews and Kane want to re-sign with the Blackhawks then that is what will happen. It’s now on the players to make it clear in their conversations with the team what their thoughts are on the future. Will they stay on as the living embodiment of what Chicago wants out of the young stars of their rebuild? Or will they ask to be traded and chase another title while they still can? While the two side have plenty of talking to do, we may know sooner rather than later what the future will bring.

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