Earlier this afternoon, the rumored details of the trade sending Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers leaked out. There are two more players involved than the initial reports who are coming to the Blackhawks in the trade, however.
The Blackhawks acquired a conditional 2023 second round pick (which could become a 2024 first round pick), a 2025 fourth round pick and defenseman Andy Welinski from the New York Rangers. The Blackhawks also receive defenseman Vili Saarijarvi from the Arizona Coyotes as part of the trade.
Chicago sent AHL defenseman Cooper Zech to the Rangers in the trade.
Welinski was originally a third-round pick by the Anaheim Ducks in 2011. Listed at 6-2 and 212 pounds, he’s a right-handed shot who has appeared in 46 career NHL games. He turns 30 at the end of April and is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Saarijarvi, 25, is playing in the Swiss League this season. He was a third-round pick by the Red Wings in 2015. A right-handed shot, Saarijarvi is listed 5-10 and 183 pounds and has appeared in 150 career regular-season AHL games with Grand Rapids and Tucson. He’s been playing overseas for the past three years.
This doesn’t really change much in regards to the real value in the trade; the point of the trade was to acquire the two draft picks from the Rangers. Kane leaves the Blackhawks as arguably the greatest American-born player in NHL history and one of the greatest players to ever skate in the Chicago sweater.