Patrick Kane's Future is Truly Up in the Air Now

Yesterday it was announced that Blackhawks' legend Patrick Kane had a procedure on his hip (hip resurfacing). His agent, Pat Brisson, indicated two things from the announcement... that Kane will be out 4-6 months and that he wants to play for a long time after that.

After being traded to the New York Rangers at the trade deadline, Patrick Kane is an unrestricted free agent meaning that teams would have to sign him to a deal knowing he is rehabbing until at least October. I imagine the goal that Patrick and his team has is to be ready for opening night, however there is no way to tell at this moment just how long this recover may take for the 34 year old.

His game has never been about board battles or physical checking, so I always imagined a player like #88 could play into his late 30s if he so desired. He has always taken care of his body and plays a finese, high skilled game outside of the middle of the ice. These traits and facts all add up to him being able to recover from this procedure on his own time and return when he is ready.

I, for one, am cheering Kaner on to come back stronger than ever... but where? With this recent news, his age (will be 35 just 3 weeks into next season), and his play to end this season a team will likely only offer Kane a 1 year low AAV deal. Teams that are both up against the cap and in a contention window will likely be the teams after the future Hall of Famer.

I am looking at teams like Carolina, Colorado, Vegas, Boston, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, and Dallas as potentially good fits for Patrick Kane. Would he accept a 1yr / 3-5m deal? I think that when it comes down to it the money won't matter, just the situation will. Patrick Kane is coming off of an 8yr / 84m deal and had all the commericials and billboards for over a decade in Chicago. This is about fit, to prove he still is an elite offensive top line RW. If he can come back, find the right fit, and prove he is still Patrick Kane than the term and dollars in the following season will just increase. This is Patrick Kane afterall... and I can't wait for him to come back full strength and be himself again!

Cheering you on 88!