Blackhawks Give Patrick Kane List of Teams For Pending Trade

Patrick Kane still hasn’t made up his mind about whether he’ll leave the Chicago Blackhawks or not, but the winger has been given a list of teams by his current employer for consideration in the event he becomes ready to move on in the next three weeks. In other words, the Blackhawks are simply waiting on Kane’s decision, but they’re arming him with as much information as they can so that when he decides, the process is quick.

Kane is arguably one of the biggest names that could be moved ahead of the NHL trade deadline on March 3. There has been chatter for months that the Blackhawks would like to see him move on and GM Kyle Davidson can recoup some assets before he potentially tests free agency and they rebuild for the future. But, Kane isn’t sure he wants to leave Chicago, the only team for which he’s ever played. Kane is taking stock of his career, talking to friends, and former teammates, and trying to determine what’s best for his short-term and long-term future.

What he knows is that the Blackhawks aren’t going to be very good as he winds down his NHL career. He also isn’t sure the grass is greener elsewhere, even if he never wins another Stanley Cup.

That said, he’s not offended by all the talk or the Blackhawks doing their job by talking to teams and determining what kind of return is out there for a dynamic winger who can add scoring punch to a contending club for a playoff push. His agent, Pat Brisson, notes it’s good to know teams are expressing interest and Kane is not opposed to the Blackhawks doing their due diligence.

Ultimately, Kane will make the decision that he feels is best for himself and his family. If there’s a team that piques his interest, he’ll explore it. If he moves, he moves. If he doesn’t, he’ll take extension with the Blackhawks or a new deal with someone else. The forward noted, “We’ll figure out what team could be the best fit, but . . . it’s tough to decide if we’re getting to that point yet,” Kane said Monday. “There are definitely opportunities out there that are intriguing and could be exciting. We’ll see.”

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