A loophole that the Edmonton Oilers used recently can be useful for another team to sign unrestricted free agent Patrick Kane.

With the NHL regular season less than a month away, anticipation is building for fan bases across the league. Teams will begin to have their main training camps open up this week as prospect tournaments wrap up in the next day or two.

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We have already seen many PTO contracts handed out this off-season, with the Edmonton Oilers signing three of their own. In the next few days we should expect to see more trickle in when the actual camps start up.

Even though training camp is days away from beginning, there is a big name free agent who remains unsigned - Patrick Kane. And there are indications that the Toronto Maple Leafs have interest in bringing Kane into the fold. 

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TSN insider Dave Poulin reported that he expects the Maple Leafs to be "at the forefront of potential suitors" - should Kane get back to full health. The timeline for his recovery has him making a return to playing hockey in January 2024.

There is a stipulation in the collective bargaining agreement that states if a player is 35-years old or older they can be signed to a league minimum contract. The contract can be loaded up with performance bonuses, and those bonuses come off of the next year's salary cap. 

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This stipulation also works for NHLers who have played 400 games and have been injured for more than 100 days. This is the same loophole that the Oilers used with Connor Brown. 

No matter what Kane's future holds, teams will be able to make room for him because of this detail. Let's hope, for the player's sake that he rehabs to full health before making a decision.

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