NHL Rumors: Patrick Kane in Buffalo? Plus Canucks talking extension with Bo Horvat
Anthony Scultore
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Today’s NHL Rumors takes a look at where Patrick Kane may end up next season.
While he’s sure to be headed to one of the top contenders for the Stanley Cup at the trade deadline, the likelihood he remains with that team after the playoffs are 50/50 at best.
The 33 year-old superstar forward is entering this season in the final year of his contract with an AAV of $10.5 million. Regardless of the term he’s looking for on his next deal, Kane isn’t going to be a bargain no matter how you slice it.
So where could he sign in the summer of 2023?
NHL Rumors: Patrick Kane homecoming?
The native of Buffalo, NY may want to go back home and sign with the Sabres.
This isn’t really news and has been suggested by several other writers, including Matt Porter in his recent article in The Boston Globe.
The Sabres are a young team on the rise and have plenty of excellent young talent that would benefit from having Patrick Kane and his championship rings in the locker room.
Plus, they will be one of the few teams out there that can offer him any contract he wants. Per CapFriendly, they currently have $19 million in cap space for the upcoming season but could be well over $20 million when free agency rolls around in July of 2023.
Despite playing on a bad Chicago Blackhawks team, Kane was still able to produce last season with 92 points in 78 games. Buffalo recently gave young center Tage Thompson a massive 7-year contract extension after he posted 68 points in 78 games in 2021-22. Adding a winger like Kane would be a boon for the 24 year-old pivot’s stats and help the entire Sabres franchise for years to come.
While the focus regarding Patrick Kane is where he will playing in the playoffs this season, looking beyond that should include his hometown Sabres.
NHL Rumors: Canucks talking with Bo Horvat
After we just listed Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat at #5 on our latest NHL Trade Bait Tracker, GM Patrik Allvin told reporters that the two sides are talking. He also added that they view him as one of the team’s core pieces.
“We’re communicating with his camp,” Allvin said. “We’ll see if there’s a deal to be done here.”
Horvat, 27, scored a career high 31 goals last season and finished with 52 points in 70 games. He’s entering the final year of his contract with an AAV of $5.5 million. Now that Miller is signed, the Canucks will have to monitor and manage their cap situation closely going forward.
Per CapFriendly, the team is listed at $2 million over the cap heading into the season.
