Patrick Kane is ramping up his game and is now speaking to NHL teams about his work.
On Wednesday, NHL insider Chris Johnston wrote a story in The Athletic about the 34-year-old's return to the NHL and his potential landing spots.
Among the teams were the New York Rangers, whom he played 26 games, both regular season and playoffs last season. The others were the Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
"Admittedly a longer-shot contender in this process, the possibility can’t be ruled out entirely," Johnston wrote about Kane signing with Toronto.
"What the Leafs don’t have is cap space or a gaping need for what Kane does best since they’re already rolling out Mitch Marner and William Nylander on right wing — who would come off the top power-play unit to make room for him? — but they do boast an appealing sell in the form of fellow American Auston Matthews. Matthews grew up idolizing Kane, so there could be some sentimental appeal for everyone involved with bringing that duo together.
"It’s also notable that Kane spent a considerable amount of time in the Greater Toronto Area while rehabbing and recovering from hip surgery in recent months. Still, the four teams listed above are considered more likely destinations for No. 88 to land."
Johnston says Kane's goal is to land somewhere that puts him in a position to win yet another Stanley Cup while also having somewhere to play for more than just the short term.
If the 34-year-old were to sign with the Maple Leafs, several dominoes would likely need to fall beforehand. First, Toronto would have to clear cap space as they only have $22,499 available. The other thing is that they'd need to find a suitor for a trade to take a player with a significant cap hit (likely $3M+) off their roster.
Is it worth it for Toronto to bring in a player like Kane, who is a bit older and is coming off a surgery? While he does have three Stanley Cups with Chicago, it remains to be seen whether he can contribute at a level like that again.
And for the Maple Leafs, you have to ask — is that a risk they're willing to take?
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