The Florida Panthers are having a great start to their season. They’re currently 12-5-1 and sit second in the Atlantic Division behind only the Boston Bruins. A good chunk of this performance has come without their top two defensemen in Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, who returned to the lineup last week.
This team is looking to get back to the postseason and get another chance at the Stanley Cup. As a result, they are looking for some extra help in the free agency pool. One of the most notable names in that is the former superstar of the Chicago Blackhawks in forward Patrick Kane. This comes after a short stint with the New York Rangers.
However, he is coming off of hip surgery this past summer, so he could not find a new home right away. There are rumors going around that the Panthers are very aggressive in trying to acquire the 34-year-old forward. The big question that remains for general manager Bill Zito is, how can he bring him to Sunrise?
Kane’s Illustrious Career
For many seasons, Kane was one of the best players in the NHL. Drafted first overall in 2007, he made an impact early on with 72 points (21 goals, 51 assists) in his first NHL season. Because of that, he won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year.
Two years later, he won the Stanley Cup, Chicago’s first since 1961. In 2013, although shrouded in controversy, he won his second Stanley Cup along with the Conn Smythe for being the most valuable player in those playoffs. In 2015, he captured hockey’s holy grail for the third time.
Throughout his time in Chicago, he was selected to the All-Star Game nine times and won the Hart Memorial Trophy and Art Ross Trophy in 2016 for his unreal 106-point season (46 goals, 60 assists). All-time, he is second in points, third in goals, and second in assists. Among Americans in NHL history, he has the third most points with 1,237 (451 goals, 786 assists) behind Mike Modano and Brett Hull.
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Last season, he was dealt to the Rangers, making it the first time he was in a different team’s uniform. In his short playoff push with the Blueshirts, he scored five goals and assisted on seven others. That postseason, he scored one goal and was credited with five assists. For the first time in his career, he is a free agent.
Why Would Florida Go After Kane?
One of the biggest struggles for the Panthers’ forward core has been finding a winger to complement center and captain Aleksander Barkov. For the longest time, that was Jonathan Huberdeau. But since he was traded two seasons ago, it’s back to the drawing board.
Kane could come in and fill that slot almost immediately with his experience and hockey IQ. It’s unknown how much he has left in the tank, but he is a very smart player.
Additionally, his playoff experience shows how much of a clutch player he can be. Florida could use the extra depth during both portions of the season but especially come playoff time.
Could The Panthers Make it Work with the Money?
One of the biggest things stopping the team is ultimately money. Currently, the Panthers have a little less than $500,000 in cap space and very minimal options to get some extra funds. One thing they could do is send defenseman Uvis Ballinskis down to the American Hockey League (AHL), which frees up $870,000 and opens up a roster spot on the team.
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Kane could take a team-friendly deal, but he is more than likely not going for something like that after the massive $10.5 million average annual value (AAV) contract he signed with Chicago just wrapped up this past offseason. He might be willing to take a cut, but not a massive one. Furthermore, he could be looking for another multi-year deal to keep himself secure. If that is the case, things could look bleak in bringing him to Broward County.
Is Kane Taking His Talents to Sunrise?
It’s being reported by NHL insider, David Pagnotta, that Kane will make his decision on who he will put the skates on for next around the Thanksgiving period. But of course, Florida is not the only team in the sweepstakes. He has reportedly received interest from the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Rangers in a potential runback, and the Buffalo Sabres.
As we saw from last season, the Cup window for Florida is wide open. If they were to add Kane into the mix, it could give them a huge boost for the rest of the season. With the strong start Paul Maurice’s squad has had this season, it is enticing for Kane to say “showtime” in South Florida.
