The NHL trade deadline is just about a month away, and Artemi Panarin has made it known that he would love the Rangers to trade for his old Chicago Blackhawks teammate Patrick Kane, according to Molly Walker of the New York Post.
The pair were teammates from 2015 to 2017 in Chicago, won the Stanley Cup in 2015 and played on the same line for much of their time as teammates. Panarin was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the summer of 2017, and signed a 7-year $81.5 million contract with the New York Rangers in the summer of 2019.
We know the chemistry exists and the interest from Artemi Panarin's side is there, and Walker said there is “no doubt” that the Rangers are interested in Patrick Kane when speaking with Forever Blueshirts. The Rangers also have always made the most sense for Kane, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
He has put up 34 points in 45 games this season. Those are not staggering numbers, but the Blackhawks are tied with the Blue Jackets for the least points in the league with 34.
The surrounding cast in Chicago is not ideal, and it would be reasonable to assume an uptick in production with Panarin, who Kane has established chemistry with. However, that does not mean Kane at age 34 would produce at the same level as he did during his prime if he were to join Panarin in New York.
There is another component to this. Does this make sense financially for the Rangers? Kane has one year left on his contract and makes $10.5 million, and the Rangers have about $1.5 million in cap space according to PuckPedia, so it would take the Blackhawks retaining some money or the Rangers offloading salary to get Kane to New York.
The caveat is that Kane has a full no-trade clause, so he is in complete control of where he goes at the deadline. If Kane really wants to reunite with Panarin in New York, he can force the Blackhawks' hand even if they have a better deal from another team.
The teams have until March 3 to make a deal.
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