Rangers and Patrick Kane: What a trade agreement could look like in 4 weeks

Didn’t like the idea of the Rangers breaking the bank for Timo Meier last night? That’s ok! We have plenty more potential trade scenarios that New York could be looking to attack in the coming weeks before the NHL trade deadline.

Since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, the Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks have been talked about as potential trade partners in regard to winger, Patrick Kane.

Kane and Artemi Panarin obviously have history together and he would be an immediate upgrade over the Jimmy Vesey and Barclay Goodrows on the roster currently.

But what would a trade for the three-time Stanley Cup Winner look like? At 34 years old, Kane is older than top players like Meier and Horvat but is also on pace for career lows in key offensive categories. So how do Chris Drury and the Rangers nab the four-time all-star?

The top potential trade seems likely here:

Rangers’ 2023 first-round pick, Vitali Kravtsov, and 2024 third-round pick for Patrick Kane

It’s a far better price for a player of Kane’s capabilities than Timo Meier for good reason though. Kane is dealing with an injury himself and while he’s played well as of late, the numbers don’t add up to a blockbuster deal. Kane is owed over $10 million in salary that Chicago will have to eat a portion of for this deal to make sense as well.

Kane is a free agent after the 2022-23 season so this would be a move that tries to pull the Rangers over the hump for a championship this year and that’s it. Luckily, by only giving up Kravtsov, New York will still have a first-round selection this upcoming draft cycle and would still have the ability to increase its prospect pool.

The Blackhawk’s top star still has a no-trade clause but has been open to playing with former teammate Artemi Panarin again. The Panarin-Kane relationship could be a big factor in bringing an experienced scorer and physical player to New York City.

It’s the same as a potential Meier trade. If the Rangers are going to be true Cup contenders this season, they need more balanced offensive firepower. New York can accomplish that same goal with a deal for Patrick Kane that would come much cheaper than Meier and also work for the chemistry of the team as the calendar flips to February.