Fans are on the edge of their seats when it comes to free agent Patrick Kane as it was recently reported that the veteran forward would choose where to sign during the current month of November after rehabbing from hip resurfacing surgery he underwent in June.
His agent Pat Brisson spoke with insider Pierre LeBrun on Tuesday and revealed how his client has started talking to NHL teams and is looking at potential fits around the league.
“We’re starting to speak with teams about the opportunities, talking to coaches and GMs,”his agent Pat Brisson told The Athletic on Tuesday. “It’s kind of like the interview period we used to have for July 1. That’s what we’re starting to do here.”
On Wednesday night, LeBrun’s colleague Chris Johnston went a step further, dressing a list of possible landing spots for Kane, where league sources believe he is most likely to land.
Johnston points to the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs. While the insider wonders if Kane could reunite with the Blue Shirts, he also asks if Kane could be tempted to join a contender like the Panthers, whom he watched go on a run to the Stanley Cup Final last year.
As for the Sabres, we know a return home to Buffalo could be in the cards for Kane, though he did express the desire to play once again with star forward Alex DeBrincat, now in Detroit. But is it where he’d get a shot at a fourth championship before he hangs up the skates?
“The biggest question here is how close Kane believes the Red Wings are to entering a contention window and whether that lines up with where he’s at entering his 17th season.”
As for the Maple Leafs, Johnston simply cannot rule them out entirely seeing Kane would come in as a short-time option. He says:
“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.”
We all wonder where Kane will go. And we might get our answer sooner rather than later.
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