7 Landing Spots Named Ahead of Promising Patrick Kane Trade

If Patrick Kane is traded before this season’s NHL Trade Deadline, (which looks probable) Daily Faceoff’s Frank Servalli has listed seven teams he thinks make the most sense. Clearly, Seravalli’s list is not the only list worth following, but the NHL insider is fairly plugged into the chatter and he makes logical arguments for all of the teams he mentions in a recent article, one that takes a deep dive into why and if a Kane trade will go down.

Kane’s production has dropped, but he’s still one of the main targets on the trade board heading into March 3. He’s got a monster contract and control over where he goes, but it sounds like he’s coming to terms with the idea it might be time to move on and that facilitating a trade and letting the Blackhawks retain salary so he can move to a contender is in the cards. Seravalli writes, “There are a number of reasons to explain Patrick Kane’s drop-off in production – with all of the noise swirling around this season, which has included a nagging injury. Kane is still an assassin. Simple as that.”

Seravalli lists the New York Rangers, Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, and Dallas Stars as six teams that might be interested in Kane. The NHL insider’s seventh team is the Chicago Blackhawks as he writes, “It cannot and should not be ruled out that Kane decides to play his contract through, chooses to not uproot his family, and reassesses his options this summer when free agency begins.”

When it comes to the Rangers, it sounds like there has been a mutual curiosity from both sides. He’ll be playing under the bright lights of New York and reunited with Artemi Panarin. It’s a deal that makes a lot of sense and has made sense for some time. But, of late, Kane is not the Rangers’ primary trade target. Timo Meier of the San Jose Sharks is.

In Vegas, the Golden Knights are a team that is interested in every big name that becomes available. If Mark Stone is out for the season, Vegas has enough money to make this move and they aren’t afraid to take a swing. Jack Eichel and Patrick Kane together could be fascinating.

The Los Angeles Kings are a team to watch. They’re good and have depth. They’re on the upswing in their development and while Kane might not be the perfect fit long-term, he could be an intriguing rental for a Kings team that might be thinking about making a push. They have the picks and prospects to pull it off.

Seravalli notes of the Toronto Maple Leafs: “Toronto is close to the border with Buffalo. He made a name for himself just down the road in London.” He adds, “And he could skate alongside Auston Matthews, maybe the two best American-born forwards of all-time on the same line. Wonder what that would do for a long-suffering fanbase?”

The New Jersey Devils are said to be in the market for a top-six winger and many insiders believe they’ll be serious buyers. They too have been linked to Timo Meier.

Finally, the Dallas Stars might be the longshot team. Some wonder if they’re good enough to win and if not, would Kane get them there? GM Jim Nill isn’t afraid to make bold moves and this would certainly qualify.

Next: Trade Still Possible Despite Serious Injury for Gustav Nyquist