Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane Linked to 3 New Teams by NHL Insider
The 2023 NHL trade deadline is right around the corner, so the rumor mill is understandably starting to heat up because of that. We recently saw the Vancouver Canucks trade Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders, and now Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane is the biggest available hire candidate because of it. Although he’s having a bad year by his standards (34 points in 45 games), Chicago’s weak roster can certainly be blamed for it. As a result, a switch to a competitor could help revive his attacking game, and that’s why interest in his services is starting to skyrocket.
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (Amy Irvin/The Hockey Writers)
Recently, I wrote about seven teams allegedly linked to Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane. Still, NHL insider Frank Seravalli has now reported that three other clubs that weren’t on my previous list could be potential landing spots for the future Hockey Hall of Famer. Let’s review now.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are always a team to watch when it comes to hit trades. Since they arrived in the NHL, they have become famous for them, and it is surely a trend that we could see continuing with Kane. As Seravalli noted in his article, the Golden Knights would earn $9.25 million in cap space if Mark Stone’s injury forced him to miss the rest of the regular season. Should that materialize, the Golden Knights would be desperate to find a right winger to replace him, and Kane would of course be their primary target because of that.
The Golden Knights have also been slowing down lately, so it would be huge for them to bring in another star like Kane. When looking at a potential candidate for him in their roster, it certainly seems possible that he would work wonderfully on the front line with compatriot Jack Eichel and winger Reilly Smith. It would make the Golden Knights much deeper on paper and could give them the boost that will help them edge past their Western Conference rivals.
If the Blackhawks keep half of Kane’s salary and Stone ends up being placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), the Golden Knights could easily afford the Buffalo native. To help push that move, the Golden Knights could send their 2023 first-round pick, 2024 second-round pick and top prospect Brendan Brissom.
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are currently 28-18-7 and tied with the Seattle Kraken for the top of the Pacific Division. It’s clear the Kings are heading in the right direction and establishing themselves as one of the best teams in the Western Conference. However, in order to become legitimate NHL favorites, they should look to add another high-impact forward at the deadline. As a result, it would certainly make sense for them to go all-in for Kane.
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When looking at the Kings’ roster, it’s clear they could use a noticeable boost in their top six. Acquiring Kane would do just that, and that’s especially true if he starts producing at a point-per-game pace again. Looking at a possible fit for him in the Los Angeles roster, I could see him forming a very strong line with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe on the front row. With that, of course, he would become a major part of their power play.
To acquire Kane, the Kings would have to part ways with their 2023 first-round pick, their 2023 second-round pick and a promising young defenseman like Jordan Spence. Additionally, to help matters financially, the Blackhawks could accept Cal Petersen’s poor contract ($5 million cap reached through 2024-25) if it results in them also scoring the second-round pick of the Kings in 2024. With that, of course, Chicago should keep half of Kane’s salary.
New Jersey Devils
After years of mediocrity, the New Jersey Devils took a significant step in the right direction this campaign. They currently have a 32-13-4 record and are one of the best teams in the NHL because of it. For that reason, the Devils are expected to be the top buyers at the trade deadline for the first time in a long time. As New Jersey looks to leapfrog other Eastern Conference powerhouses like the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes and Boston Bruins, it would make a lot of sense for them to bring in Kane.
Looking at the Devils’ top six, it’s clear they would benefit from the addition of another elite forward. Although Fabian Zetterlund has a very solid campaign, Kane would be a significant improvement over him on their second line. Due to Kane’s exceptional playing ability, he could create real magic when playing on a line with another elite striker like Jack Hughes. So, on paper, this move would make the Devils immensely deeper.
The Devils are in a position to make a splash, so they can afford to part ways with their 2023 first-round pick and 2023 second-round pick, and a notable prospect like Shakir Mukhamadullin to land Kane. With that, a player like Erik Haula could be added to the deal to help make it work financially. The Blackhawks are also expected to keep half of Kane’s salary.
Still, it’s not too difficult to see why Seravalli sees these three teams as potential landing spots for Kane. They’re all expected to be buyers and could use another top-six striker before the deadline, so we’ll have to wait and see if any of them end up being the lucky club to acquire Kane from ‘here.
Michael DeRosa is a contributor covering the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings for The Hockey Writers. Since 2017, he writes and edits for many websites. Besides his work for THW, you can also find him on NHL Trade Rumors.