Larry Brooks spoke with Patrick Kane’s agent Pat Brisson and Brisson said that he has “not talked at all” with Chris Drury about a potential return to the Rangers for Kane.
Brisson said that Kane is “doing great” in his rehab from hip surgery and will evaluate his options toward the start of the season and would listen to “any offer.” (NY Post)
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Adam Rotter: There are some around the league that believe that if the Rangers still have a reasonable amount of cap space left toward the start of the season, or whenever Kane starts considering where he wants to go, that there is a more than decent enough chance that he could return on a one-year deal and try and be the player he was supposed to be. Others believe that Kane is already plotting a return to his hometown Sabres, possibly on a multi-year deal, as they look to finally turn the corner toward the playoffs.
I wouldn’t mind a healthy Kane returning on a one-year deal if the money works and still leaves the Rangers with enough space to make another move at the deadline, but I’m just not sure it will work. What works in the Rangers favor is that there is familiarity already and that he ultimately chose them/forced his way to them at the deadline. What doesn’t work in their favor is their lack of cap space and the risk of a multi-year deal and eating up cap space for next summer. There are any number of potential contenders that might be able to make it work at the end of the summer/start of the season, but if he wants to return to the Ranger and try and show he is much more than he was then they can probably make it work if the money is still there.
But should the Rangers be banking on his return? No. Should the Rangers even want him to return? That is debatable. Everything that he brought to them at the deadline in experience, presence, and potential would still be there, but now he’d be healthy. It may be a moot point if the Rangers use up their cap space to re-sign Alexis Lafreniere, K’Andre Miller, Tyler Motte, a backup goalie and some depth pieces. But if it comes to the end of the summer and, for some reason, they still have $3 million or so in cap space it could be an option.