The first-overall pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft, Gavin McKenna, says he received about 60 messages on his phone last night after being selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He noted he was surprised, saying, “I don’t have my number out there, so there’s not a whole lot of texts.”
Interestingly, one of the texts he got was from a superstar that plays for the Detroit Red Wings, Patrick Kane.
This could be Kane just being a good guy, but it’s worth noting that Kane is a pending UFA and can sign anywhere he’d like on July 1. McKenna said, “Patrick Kane texted me. He’s my idol so that was cool.” Perhaps Kane won’t just be his idol, but potentially his teammate.
Kane is waiting to sign a potential extension in Detroit as the Red Wings navigate a tricky offseason. Captain Dylan Larkin has asked for a trade, and there’s a lot of talk that this could be a rough year for GM Steve Yzerman. If Kane sees the Red Wings as a team that could take a huge step backward, he might be inclined to test the market. At 37 years old, it’s logical to assume he’d be open to signing a one-year, bonus-heavy deal. His cap hit was $3 million last season. He’s the kind of player the Maple Leafs would be happy adding at that number.
Kane had 16 goals and 57 points on an offensively starved Red Wings roster. He’s consistently been a producer and a 20-goal guy.
Kane is a right-winger, who could be a mentor to McKenna, who is a left-winger. The two on the same line together would make for an interesting mix. If the Leafs were to put a solid two-way center in between them, that would be a challenging line for other teams to handle.
Next: Maple Leafs Trade Brandon Carlo To St. Louis Blues for Two Picks
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