Obsessive Patrick Kane Trade Watch: Will 88 Play For The Rangers On Wednesday Night?

As our Blackhawks world continues to be consumed with the looming trade deadline, the moves already announced by the organization leave one big piece left on the board: Patrick Kane.

And it appears on Tuesday morning that situation may be nearing its climax.

Early this morning, Elliotte Friedman tweeted the following:

Good morning: if NYR want to acquire Patrick Kane and have him count against their cap on Wednesday (not today), they can acquire him after 5 pm (ET). Things continue to be put in motion behind the scenes (approval, equipment, logistics). We'll see when it happens.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 28, 2023

So the answer appears that this could happen today. But there is still one outstanding issue that needs to be resolved by someone other than the Rangers and/or Blackhawks. Monday morning, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller will have a phone hearing for spitting on Kings defenseman Drew Doughty on Sunday. As I outlined yesterday, a suspension could complicate matters for this deal to be finalized.

But a subsequent report from Vince Mercogliano of USA Today on Tuesday morning seems to indicate that won’t be an issue. And the Rangers are planning on Kane playing for them in Philly on Wednesday night against the Flyers.

The ducks are all in a row for Patrick Kane to make his #NYR debut tomorrow in Philadelphia.

What will this star-studded lineup look like and how will all the pieces fit?

I know you’re hyped, so let’s talk about about it all 👇🏼https://t.co/rYmKBYBaYT

— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) February 28, 2023

Mercogliano adds the following note about the money working out, and how tight this is going to be for the Rangers to make it happen by tomorrow evening:

As @FriedgeHNIC points out, there is a solution: Wait until after 5pm to execute the deal.

Everyone knows it’s coming, but the Rangers technically need one more day of accrual to complete the roster they want.

Bottom line: Expect to see Kane in Philly tomorrow.

— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) February 28, 2023

Obviously now we’ll wait to see what the league does with Miller’s situation, but if the reports are true and Kane is going to dress in Red, White and Blue in Philly tomorrow night it appears the end is indeed in sight.

It’s been a long week of watching and waiting since Kane left the Blackhawks in California to come back to Chicago. And it’s been one helluva run for 88 with the Blackhawks.