Potential Patrick Kane Trade Packages If Blackhawks Star Hits Market amid NHL Rumors

The Chicago Blackhawks signaled that they would be entering a rebuild after trading rising stars Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach during the 2022 NHL draft in July, and the selling of star players could continue this winter with Patrick Kane.

The 33-year-old is entering the final year of an eight-year, $84 million contract with the Blackhawks and is set to earn $10.5 million in 2022-23. He had been included in numerous rumors throughout the summer due to the assets Chicago could get in a trade including the veteran, in addition to his possible unwillingness to stick around for a rebuild.

Kane's NHL career is entering its final stages, and if he wants a chance to add another Stanley Cup to his resume, remaining with the Blackhawks might not be the best option.

It's difficult to imagine the team improving on its finish to the 2021-22 campaign in which it finished seventh in the Central Division with 68 points and missed the playoffs.

The Athletic's 2022-23 season projection for the Blackhawks also has the team finishing toward the bottom of the NHL standings and lists the franchise's best-case scenario as finishing last in the league and winning the draft lottery:

"The Blackhawks are going to be bad. Very bad. Among one of the worst in the league. Whether they sink to the very bottom depends on how much player movement there is during the year to send NHL-caliber players out. The expectation should be that quite a few are on the move by the time the deadline rolls around."

All that said, it remains to be seen whether Kane wants a move away from the team he has spent his entire 15-year NHL career and won three Stanley Cups with.

The Buffalo, New York native told reporters on Sept. 22 that he had been blocking out the trade rumors over the summer. He added that while he realizes he could be moved this season, it's "not really anything" he has been thinking about just yet.

By the time the trade deadline approaches, seeking a move could well be on his mind, especially if the Blackhawks are near the foot of the Western Conference standings.

So, lets take a look at some hypothetical trade packages if Kane does hit the market.

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New York Rangers 

The New York Rangers have been linked to Kane since the 2021-22 season's trade deadline.

The Blueshirts were one of the most exciting teams in the NHL last season, finishing second in the Metropolitan Division with 110 points. It was their best end to a regular season since 2014-15.

However, they were unable to get over the hump in the postseason, falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games.

Could Kane be the player to get them back into the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since they fell to the Los Angeles Kings in 2014? It's possible, but what sort of package would general manager Chris Drury need to offer the Blackhawks to land him?

Well, one idea would be to offer winger Alexis Lafrenière and New York's 2023 first-round pick to Chicago in exchange for Kane.

The Rangers selected Lafrenière first overall in the 2020 NHL draft, and there was plenty of hype surrounding him at the time, with some even comparing him to Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby.

However, the 20-year-old has failed to live up to those expectations in two seasons with the Rangers.

During his rookie year, he notched 12 goals and nine assists for 21 points in 56 games. Last season, he tallied 19 goals and 12 assists for 31 points in 79 games. That's not much of an improvement.

Lafrenière has also been buried on New York's depth chart, and he is playing on the third line, sitting behind first-liner Chris Kreider and second-liner Artemi Panarin. He's not going to surpass either of those names any time soon.

If he was traded to the Blackhawks, he would be getting top-six minutes, which would likely be better for his development and career.

Some Rangers fans might not like this proposed trade, but it's what it takes to bring in an elite scorer like Kane. In addition, The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta reported in March that New York would be open to trading Lafrenière if the return was significant, so the winger isn't untouchable.

That said, it's unclear if adding Kane would be significant enough for the team to part with Lafrenière.

However, the thought of reuniting Kane and Panarin on the same line in the Big Apple should be enticing enough for the Rangers to consider it.

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Edmonton Oilers

Like the Rangers, the Edmonton Oilers would be an intriguing destination for Kane.

They finished second in the Pacific Division last season with 104 points and reached the Western Conference Finals before being eliminated by eventual Stanley Cup champion, the Colorado Avalanche.

Edmonton is on the cusp of contending for a title, and adding Kane could help put the team over the edge in 2022-23.

However, it's important to note the Oilers would have to get creative in order to fit him under the salary cap. The franchise is nearly $7.6 million over the limit, per CapFriendly, so something would need to be done to create enough space to fit Kane on the roster.

Provided the Oilers free up some cap space, one trade option for general manager Ken Holland would be to package Jesse Puljujarvi, a couple of solid prospects and a 2023 first-round pick in exchange for Kane.

Puljujarvi, the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft, has never lived up to the hype. In 65 games last season, he tallied 14 goals and 22 assists 36 points. Moving him to Chicago would allow him to see consistent top-six minutes.

Trading a first-round pick speaks for itself, and the rebuilding Blackhawks would most likely want a first-rounder in any deal for Kane.

As for prospects, moving a player such as Raphaël Lavoie and/or Philip Broberg could be intriguing to the Blackhawks.

Broberg, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2019 draft, had a solid 2021-22 season with the AHL's Bakersfield Condors. The 21-year-old blueliner tallied four goals and 19 assists for 23 points in 31 games. He also appeared in 23 games for the Oilers, notching one goal and two assists.

Winger Lavoie, 22, also spent last season with the Condors, tallying 13 goals and 26 points in 56 games.

Broberg is more of a high-end prospect, while his teammate would be considered a mid-level prospect.

If the Oilers landed Kane, it's reasonable to believe he would play on the first line alongside Evander Kane and Connor McDavid. Adding him to the Edmonton offense would make it even more potent.

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Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings took a big leap forward in 2021-22 with a combination of veterans and fresh faces who helped them make the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign, and that success could continue in 2022-23.

The Kings finished third in the Pacific Division with 99 points before being eliminated by the Oilers in seven games in the first round of the playoffs. Adding a player like Kane could help the team get out of the first round for the first time since 2014, when they won the Stanley Cup.

Chicago would likely need to retain some of Kane's salary to make a deal work, but L.A. could offer a trade package that would make doing so worthwhile.

Kings general manager Rob Blake could look to package Alex Turcotte, a 2023 first-round pick and a mid-round pick in a deal for Kane.

The draft selections will surely be enticing for the Blackhawks as the 2023 class is expected to be loaded with talent. In addition, Turcotte could be inserted into the team's lineup this season and see a good amount of playing time that would help his development.

The 21-year-old was selected fifth overall in the 2019 NHL draft but didn't make his debut until the 2021-22 season in which he tallied zero points in eight games. He spent most of last season with Ontario Reign in the AHL, recording six goals and 12 assists in 27 games.

The Kings have plenty of young talent, so Turcotte is expendable. Adding Kane to a lineup that already includes Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala could really change the outlook of the entire 2022-23 season for the franchise.