What happens with Patrick Kane?

By Conor Doherty

On March 3 at 12 p.m. EST, all trades in the National Hockey League will come to a stop. With about four weeks left until the deadline and the major domino falling when Bo Horvat was shipped from Vancouver to the Island, let’s take a look at who will be on the move and where they could go. 

Jakob Chychrun, D, Arizona Coyotes

The Chychrun sweepstakes seem to be coming to an end now. The 24-year-old blueliner is almost a year removed from his trade request and was a healthy scratch over the weekend due to “trade-related reasons.” Many teams have checked in on him throughout the last 12 months, but the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings are the teams that have come to the forefront of the negotiations. The Coyotes have held firm in their asking price, which has been identified as two first-round picks and a prospect or at least one first-round pick, a prospect and a player with a first-round pedigree (young player that was drafted in the first round). Finally, with the Leafs and Oilers confirming they were not involved over the weekend, this has the LA Kings written all over it.

Prediction:
Coyotes get – 2023 first, 2024 first, Brandt Clarke
Kings get – Jakob Chychrun

Timo Meier, RW, San Jose Sharks

Meier, another expiring contract, does not have to be moved by San Jose, but the Sharks have an old roster with not much young talent. He doesn’t fit their timeline, and he is going to command more than $10 million in free agency next summer when he is due to hit UFA status for the first time. Meier’s 51 points in 52 games makes him an attractive primary scoring piece for whoever fails to land Patrick Kane. Also, at 26 years old, he fits the timeline of teams like the Minnesota Wild, Calgary Flames, Rangers, Bruins and Devils. New Jersey, after missing out on Kane, will get their man here, which puts them on par with the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes. 

Prediction:
Sharks get – NJD 2023 second, Alexander Holtz
Devils get – Timo Meier

Patrick Kane, RW, Chicago Blackhawks

Kane has a couple of big decisions to make, and he is absolutely taking his time in making them. The first choice he has to make is whether or not to have hip surgery. Kane has been dealing with a hip issue for years now, and it may finally be catching up with him. Couple that with the no-movement clause in his contract, and he holds all the cards at the moment. He has all the leverage. He chooses not only if he goes, but where, and in all likelihood, when. There has been speculation that he could elect to do the hip surgery after one of the teams he had targeted, the New York Rangers, traded for Vladamir Tarasenko instead. If he chooses to get the surgery, he could sign a one-year deal with Chicago and put himself back in the same position this time next year. Would he do that? It’s unknown at this point. What is known is the number of teams that have expressed interest in his services. Some of them include the Devils, Islanders, Hurricanes and Bruins. 

Prediction:
Kane elects for hip surgery, pausing this saga

Ryan O’Reilly, C, St. Louis Blues

O’Reilly, the captain of the Blues, is destined to be shipped out before the deadline. The Blues just traded one of their all-time greats in Tarasenko, and GM Doug Armstrong is ready to blow up the core that won a Cup in 2019. The obvious fit here is the Carolina Hurricanes. Do not count out the Bruins here either, but Carolina has made it known they are very interested in the Canadian center. O’Reilly’s production has been down this year, but he is finally healthy now after dealing with injuries throughout the year. But what could the Blues really get for a 32-year-old pending UFA who has not been very effective this year? Whenever Carolina is ready to pull the trigger, we will find out.

Prediction:
Blues get – 2023 second, 2024 second
Hurricanes get – Ryan O’Reilly