NHL Rumors: Blackhawks' Patrick Kane Willing to Accept Trade to Rangers, Maple Leafs

Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane has yet to make a decision about his future with the franchise, but that doesn't mean he's not eyeing potential trade destinations.

If Kane decides he wants to move on from Chicago, he is willing to accept a trade to either the New York Rangers or Toronto Maple Leafs, according to TSN's Carlo Colaiacovo.

Kane admitted to reporters last week that he had his eyes on the Rangers as a possible destination if traded, adding that he was disappointed to hear that they acquired Vladimir Tarasenko from the St. Louis Blues instead.

"It's not like the happiest I've been to hear about a trade," Kane said when asked about the Tarasenko deal. "I think the Rangers are a team that you definitely pay attention to and definitely are intrigued by, for obvious reasons."

New York's decision to trade for Tarasenko doesn't completely eliminate the franchise from making a deal for Kane, but it makes it far less likely to happen, especially with the winger's $10.5 million cap hit.

That said, Kane is in the final year of an eight-year, $84 million contract, so it's possible Chicago would be willing to eat some of his remaining salary to facilitate a trade.

The Rangers have long been a top destination for some of the NHL's elite. Beyond playing at the world's most famous arena in Madison Square Garden, the team is perennially competitive and gives players the chance to compete for hockey's most coveted trophy—the Stanley Cup.

The Rangers currently sit third in the Metropolitan Division with a 31-14-8 record and are just six points behind the first-place Carolina Hurricanes for first in the division. With the team on pace to make the postseason, it's no surprise Kane is eyeing a move to Manhattan.

Toronto, meanwhile, sits second in the Atlantic Division with a 32-14-8 record. Like the Rangers, the Maple Leafs have been competitive in recent seasons, though they've struggled to make it past the first round of the postseason, not having done so since 2004.

It would be more of a challenge for the Maple Leafs to fit Kane under the salary cap. With Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner and John Tavares each earning $10.9 million or more per season, adding Kane's $10.5 million salary wouldn't be easy, and the Blackhawks would almost surely have to eat some of that money.

Beyond playing for a competitive team in front of some of the best fans in hockey, Toronto might be a desirable destination for Kane given its proximity to Buffalo, New York, where the winger is from.

If Kane does decide to move on from Chicago, it will certainly be interesting to see where he ends up and what kind of package the Blackhawks get in return for him. Kane has a no-move clause in his contract, so he can essentially control where he ends up if moved.

The Blackhawks, which sit last in the Central Division at 16-30-5, signaled they'd be entering a rebuild this summer by trading Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators and Kirby Dach to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for draft assets.

If Kane doesn't move on now, he'll likely have to move on from Chicago in free agency this summer anyway.