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New York Rangers acquire superstar winger Patrick Kane
Introduction
On Tuesday, February 28th, 2023 the Chicago Blackhawks finally officially traded their superstar right winger, Patrick Kane, to the New York Rangers for a variety of future NHL draft selections.
The Trade Details
In exchange for Kane, the New York Rangers are trading 2 - NHL draft picks to the Chicago Blackhawks. The first being a conditional 2023 2nd - round NHL draft pick as well as a 2025 4th - rounder. The 2023 2nd - round conditional selection may eventually become a 1st – round NHL draft choice if the New York Rangers ultimately make it to the NHL Eastern Conference finals this season. However, that NHL 1st - round draft pick would be in the year of 2024 or 2025 if that situation were to occur.
The New York Rangers also had to send the minor league defenseman, Andy Welinski, to the Chicago Blackhawks, while the minor league defenseman, Cooper Zech, will now join Kane with the New York Rangers.
Cap Space Situation
At 5:00 p. m. Eastern Time, the New York Rangers enabled this trade possible by accruing the appropriate amount of NHL cap space in order to accommodate Kane's big NHL contract. The Chicago Blackhawks will be responsible for 50 % of Kane's $10.5 million contract, and the Arizona Coyotes who signed to take on 50 % of that contract, means that Kane will count for only $2.625 million against the current New York Rangers' NHL salary cap.
"We definitely took that into consideration. There probably wasn't another situation where we would have pushed the limits," the New York Rangers general manager, Chris Drury, stated. "But to get a Patrick Kane, you don't get an opportunity like that very often."
How the Arizona Coyotes fit into the Deal
The Arizona Coyotes will receive a 2025 NHL 3rd - round selection from the New York Rangers for accelerating the trade between the New York Rangers and the Chicago Blackhawks. The Chicago Blackhawks picked up the Finnish defenseman in Vili Saarijarvi from the Arizona Coyotes in order to complete the deal.
"I'm so thankful for everything the city, the Blackhawks organization, my teammates and the fans have done for me and my family over the last 16 years -- the support was constant from day one and Chicago will forever be home for us," Patrick Kane mentioned through a recently released statement by the Chicago Blackhawks. "This has been an emotional time for me and my family, but I feel this decision puts me in the best spot to immediately win another Stanley Cup.
"This isn't about me leaving the Blackhawks, but this is an opportunity for me -- the Blackhawks did everything they could to put me in a great position and I will forever be grateful. It is bittersweet to leave a place that is so special to me, but I will always carry the memories we made in Chicago."
Kane will now have to fly to New York City, N. Y., he will make his NHL debut with the New York Rangers on Thursday night vs. the Ottawa Senators. The New York Rangers on Wednesday, March 1st, 2023 will face off against the Flyers in Philadelphia in a highly – anticipated divisional contest.
Kane is presently a 3 - time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks, and he was taken with the number - 1 pick by the Chicago Blackhawks way back in the year of 2007. Kane is currently in the last - year of his 8 - year contract that also possessed a no - movement clause in his most recent deal. The now 34 - year - old right winger forced the Chicago Blackhawks influence to make it to his preferred destination (the New York Rangers), which significantly decreased the possible exchange for Kane with the Chicago Blackhawks.
"I think Patrick recognized it was a good fit for him and it's a good fit for us," Drury goes on to say. "We're certainly excited that he wanted to be traded and that it was to the New York Rangers."
Kane hoped to Retire as a Chicago Blackhawk
Sports sources that are very close to Patrick Kane relayed that he was extremely emotional about the trade, but that Kane has always envisioned himself retiring as a player of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Dealing away Patrick to another NHL franchise demonstrates the Chicago Blackhawks’ official rebuilding period that is far from their championship dynasty era. The team is attempting to rebuild via the NHL draft with their new management team and coaching staff that are now comfortably set in place in Chicago with the Blackhawks.
The New York Rangers originally were looking to add just one high - end winger prior to the NHL trade deadline, and the New York Rangers decided to choose Vladimir Tarasenko of the St. Louis Blues over Kane earlier on this month or so.
"It's not, like, the happiest I've been to hear about a trade," Kane expressed to the major sports media outlets.
Several NHL franchises tried to acquire Kane, including the Carolina Hurricanes, the Dallas Stars, and the Edmonton Oilers. However, the right - winger previously of the Chicago Blackhawks pushed hard behind the scenes in order to make his way to New York to play for the Rangers.
"It just kind of built up in the last couple days," says Drury, "where we felt like we had a real chance to do this."
Kane has been recently receiving medical treatment for an injury to his hip throughout this 2022 - 2023 NHL season, which is just one of the factors that the New York Rangers originally had to hit pause on picking up the superstar high - octane hockey veteran. Patrick spoke to the sports reporters regarding the severity of that hip injury and he told them that it had been over - exaggerated.
Then Kane went on a big - time tear as he scored 7 - goals and 10 - points throughout his last 4 - NHL regular season games prior to leaving the Chicago Blackhawks' West Coast trip last Saturday, February 25th, 2023 in order to make it back for Chicago once the New York Rangers trade proposition eventually emerged.
In New York with the Rangers, Kane will be once again reunited with long time teammate in Artemi “the Breadman” Panarin who was his line - mate for a couple of seasons in Chicago with the Blackhawks. That time includes Panarin's Calder Trophy Award winning rookie season back in 2015 - 2016.
As a true native of Buffalo, New York, Kane compiled more than 20 - goals in 14 of his 15 - seasons prior to this year, and during the past NHL season, as the rebuild was just starting to begin in Chicago with the Blackhawks, Kane still managed to score 26 - goals as well as 92 - points.
The Words of the Chicago Blackhawks CEO Danny Wirtz
The Chicago Blackhawks CEO, Danny Wirtz, pushed out a written statement to their team’s employees following the Patrick Kane trade being publicly announced, saying that the trade deadline was, "challenging," but he reassured everyone that by trading Kane was, "another step in the process," in the Chicago Blackhawks commitment in order to build another winning team in the Chicago Blackhawks.
"Patrick has earned the opportunity to chase another Stanley Cup," the Chicago Blackhawks CEO, Danny Wirtz, explained.
While talking in regards to the Chicago Blackhawks rebuilding process, Wirtz said the franchise would, "continue tirelessly to achieve our goals."
"These decisions are tough," Wirtz proclaimed. "And I commend (general manager) Kyle (Davidson) and his team for their leadership in navigating this challenging trade deadline."
Patrick Kane’s Hockey Career Achievements, Honors, and Awards
CHL / OHL
- OHL All - Rookie Team Selection (2007)
- OHL First All - Star Team Selection (2007)
- OHL Rookie of the Year Award Winner (2007)
- CHL Rookie of the Year Award Winner (2007)
NHL
- Calder Memorial Trophy Award Winner (2008)
- NHL All - Rookie Team Selection (2008)
- 9 - Time NHL All - Star Game Selection (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
- 3 - Time NHL Stanley Cup Champion (2010, 2013, 2015)
- 3 - Time NHL First All - Star Team Selection (2010, 2016, 2017)
- Conn Smythe Trophy Award Winner (2013)
- Art Ross Trophy Award Winner (2016)
- Hart Memorial Trophy Award Winner (2016)
- Ted Lindsay Award Winner (2016)
- NHL Second All - Star Team Selection (2019)
International
- IIHF World U - 18 Championships All - Star Team Selection (2006)
- World Junior Ice Hockey Championships All - Star Team Selection (2007)
- Winter Olympics Silver Medal Award Winner (2010)
- Ice Hockey World Championship MVP Award Winner (2018)
Sources:
“Hurdles cleared, Rangers land Patrick Kane from Blackhawks”, Emily Kaplan, espn.com, February 28, 2023.
“Patrick Kane”, hockey-reference.com, March 1, 2023.