Do the Rangers Need Patrick Kane to Win a Cup? Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk2MTc5NTMwODQxMzM1MzAx/usatsi_20064870.jpg] Speculation over the possibility of Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane heading to the New York Rangers dominated the rumor mill over the weekend [https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/patrick-kane-chicago-blackhawks-out-san-jose-sharks-trade-talks-new-york-rangers-1.1923671]. There's an expectation the 34-year-old winger will be on the move before Friday's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline. Kane is not with the Blackhawks on their current road trip. He reportedly returned to Chicago to await what appears to be his inevitable move to the Rangers. The New York Post's Larry Brooks [https://nypost.com/2023/02/25/rangers-on-verge-of-deal-for-patrick-kane-with-pieces-in-place/] reported Saturday that Rangers GM Chris Drury still had to find a third team to broker a trade by retaining a quarter of Kane's $10.5-million cap hit ($2.625 million) with the Blackhawks retaining 50 percent ($5.25 million). So far, there's no indication of which club might get involved. That third party will also seek a draft pick from the Rangers or Blackhawks as compensation for their efforts. The Rangers spent the weekend attempting to clear sufficient cap space for their share of Kane's cap hit. They traded winger Vitali Kravtsov ($875,000) on Saturday to the Vancouver Canucks. CapFriendly [https://www.capfriendly.com/transactions/recalls-reassignments/rangers] indicates they sent Jake Leschyshyn ($767,000) to the minors after he cleared waivers on Sunday. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman [https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/32-thoughts-rangers-blackhawks-working-on-kane-deal/] speculated the earliest the Rangers could acquire Kane is Tuesday once they've accrued sufficient trade deadline cap space. He suggested it could happen sooner if sidelined defenseman Ryan Lindgren should end up on long-term injury reserve. However, Brooks' colleague Mollie Walker [https://twitter.com/MollieeWalkerr/status/1629935888196161544] reported Lindgren's injury isn't considered serious, and he's listed as day-to-day. TSN's Chris Johnston [https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/1629909336624357376] believes it could take until Friday's 3 p.m. trade deadline due to salary-cap implications. In other words, it could take that long for the Rangers to have sufficient deadline cap space to take on their share of Kane's remaining cap hit.
