New York Rangers Could “Move Mountains” to Add Patrick Kane

Arthur Staple of The Athletic writes, “…if Chris Drury decides, as he did at the deadline this past season, that the lineup is crying out for [Patrick] Kane, he’ll move mountains to get it done, even though moving mountains in March didn’t really work out.”

This response came when Staple was asked about the likelihood that the Rangers might re-sign Kane when the winger is healthy enough to resume his NHL career and is looking for a team to sign with this coming season. It’s not believed Kane will be ready to go by the time the 2023-24 NHL campaign gets underway, but he could join a contending roster later in the year, potentially at a team-friendly reduced rate, and Kane did make comments about how much he enjoyed his short time with the Rangers.

In a best-case scenario, the Rangers don’t need Patrick Kane.

Things don’t usually work like that, though.

And if things are tenuous in November? New York could make a play to re-sign him, writes @StapeAthletic.https://t.co/xP5wEP2vJd

— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) August 10, 2023

Staple added:

“And then Kane has to choose them. He might choose Edmonton or Colorado, or maybe Buffalo, depending on who can squeeze a modest cap hit in and which team Kane feels has the best chance to win. I have heard he really enjoyed his brief Rangers stint and would love a shot to show what he can do there when healthy, which he definitely was not in the spring.”

It’s not clear what Kane would want on a one-year deal, but the Rangers don’t exactly have a lot of room to add anyone. With just over $2.2 million in cap space, the team has yet to secure a new deal with RFA Alexis Lafrenière. Even on a bridge deal, that $2.2 million will be gone. Unless the Rangers intend to move Lafrenière, which has been rumored, even Kane at league minimum, — which doesn’t seem likely — creates financial challenges.

Then again, most of the other teams that Kane might look at will be tight to the cap as well. The question will become how much Kane wants to play in a specific destination and what he’s willing to do to make that work for the team he chooses. There’s no doubt, even if Kane only plays a few months of the NHL season that he could sign for $3 million or more on a pro-rated deal. Buffalo might be the closest thing to a contender who has that kind of cap room.

Next: Jagr’s Return to Penguins: A False Rumor Fans Hoped Was True