In a recent NHL Network discussion, David Pagnotta offered insights into the 34-year-old Patrick Kane’s prospects for signing with a team this season, unveiling significant interest from multiple clubs over the summer. While the New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres and Edmonton Oilers are among the teams that are rumored to kicking tires (or will when Kane is ultimately ready to decide his fate), notably, the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and New York Islanders have emerged as interested parties in the Kane sweepstakes. Pagnotta adds that the Boston Bruins’ interest is there, but appears less pronounced.
The Colorado Avalanche, in particular, appear as a promising destination for Kane. The prospect of being slotted in a top six that includes Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen presents an enticing opportunity to bolster the Avalanche’s offensive prowess, while also helping Kane get quick production as he searches for a way to up his numbers and set himself up for next season’s free agency. For the Avs, a Kane addition would effectively address their concerns about scoring depth. For Kane, collaborating with a star like MacKinnon could potentially propel Kane’s productivity to new heights.
Moreover, the Avalanche’s cap space situation aligns well with the scenario. Gabriel Landeskog’s presence on long-term injured reserve allows the team to project around $2.025 million in cap space, as indicated by CapFriendly. This isn’t the case for many of the other teams rumored to be showing interest in the forward.
Both the Dallas Stars and the New York Islanders find themselves teetering between $300,000 and $500,000 above the $83.5 million Upper Limit. Where they would find the room to add Kane — unless he’s open to a very low salary — isn’t clear. There’s time, and anything can happen during the season to open up space, but the Avs look like they have the room and the interest.
More Teams Are Jumping Into the Kane Sweepstakes Each Week
While little more than speculation at this point, the revelation of Kane’s widespread appeal makes his storyline an interesting one to watch. The particular suitability of the Colorado Avalanche as a potential destination underscores their desire to be contenders this coming season and their organization should make for a fascinating option if not every team rumored to be in the mix is still in the mix in a couple of months.
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