Before the second day of the 2022 NHL Draft began, Pat Brisson — the agent of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews — told the media they weren’t ready to comment about the trades that took place on Thursday, shaking up the immediate future of the organization.
By the end of the draft, Brisson was telling some media members a different story.
Kane has one year remaining on his contract with a heavy $10.5 million cap hit. The most the Blackhawks could retain is half of that in the event of a trade.
As John Dietz pointed out earlier (see previous story), Kane spoke at the end of the regular season about his chemistry and relationship with Alex DeBrincat, who is now an Ottawa Senator. The reality is now setting in with the veterans in Chicago that the coming season will be hard. And winning isn’t the direction they’re headed in the immediate future.
Entering his mid-30s and still playing at an elite level, Kane is certainly a player who would draw sizeable interest on the trade market — if he decides he wants out. And with a full no-move clause in his contract, he controls whether or now — and where — he goes if a trade situation were to happen.
With news that Duncan Keith is planning to retire, a Kane departure would be another heartbreaking move for Blackhawks fans. But we’re moving into the next generation of Chicago Blackhawks hockey in the vision of Kyle Davidson. The rebuild is necessary, and it appears it could be a painful one for fans in Chicago.