Patrick Kanehas been traded o the New York Rangers with the hope that the three-time Stanley Cup winner replicates the same success in a few months’ time.
Kane, the 34-year-old forward was traded to the Rangers in a 3-team deal that also involved the Chicago Blackhawks and Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday. He will make his Rangers debut against the Ottawa Senators at Madison Square Garden on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSG, TSN5, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW).
Asides from being a Stanley Cup champion with Chicago three times, Patrick Kane has 45 points (16 goals, 29 assists) in his 54 games this season, the last of an eight-year contract that contains a no-move clause that gave him the final approval of the trade.
“Certainly what he’s done in this game personally and on the team level is amazing,” New York general manager Chris Drury said. “To add him to our group, it’s a great moment and great night for our organization.”
The Rangers (34-17-9), who are in third place in the Metropolitan Division, sent the Blackhawks a conditional second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, a fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft, and defenseman Andy Welinski, who was playing for Hartford in the American Hockey League.
The Coyotes were also sent a conditional third-round pick in the 2025 draft for helping to broker the trade as the third team involved for salary cap reasons.
Chicago’s second-round pick will become a first-round selection in either 2024 or 2025 if the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Final this season.
The Blackhawks took 50 percent of Kane’s remaining pro-rated salary cap charge, and the Coyotes made the cap math work for the Rangers by joining the trade as a third team and getting 25 percent.
New York also got prospective defenseman Cooper Zech from the Blackhawks, and Arizona sent defenseman Vili Saarijarvi to Chicago.
In a statement made by Patrick Kane which was released by the Blackhawks, he said;
“I’m so thankful for everything the city, the Blackhawks organization, my teammates, and the fans have done for me and my family over the last 16 years — the support was constant from Day One and Chicago will forever be home for us. This has been an emotional time for me and my family, but I feel this decision puts me in the best spot to immediately win another Stanley Cup.”
“This isn’t about me leaving the Blackhawks, but this is an opportunity for me — the Blackhawks did everything they could to put me in a great position and I will forever be grateful. It is bittersweet to leave a place that is so special to me, but I will always carry the memories we made in Chicago.”
“I will miss the roar of the United Center, the deafening sound of the anthem, and the people of Chicago. Together, we made memories that will last a lifetime like the three Stanley Cup Champions banners that will forever hang at the United Center. I look forward to this next step in my career and will forever be appreciative for all I have received from the Blackhawks and Chicago.”
