Done deal after 5PM today to count against tomorrow's cap. The Rangers are acquiring Patrick Kane for a 2023 conditional second pick and 2023 fourth-round pick. Per sources, the conditions of second round pick: turns into a first IF the Rangers make the Conference Finals. However that first round pick would be in either 2024 or 2025.
We keep the 2023 first rounder. Hawks get our 2024 or 2025 first rounder if we make the ECF this year. Great deal - let's go!!! Coyotes are the 3rd team for cap reasons.
Here’s the full breakdown: To New York Rangers: forward Patrick Kane (75% salary retained), and defenseman Cooper Zech To Chicago Blackhawks: defenseman Andy Welinski, a conditional second round pick in 2023, a fourth round pick in 2024 (the second round pick can become a first in either 2024 or 2025 if the Rangers advance to the ECF) To Arizona Coyotes: a conditional third round (from the Rangers) in 2025 Key info for Kane trade: CHI retains 50 per cent, ARIZ 25 As reported: 2023 second becomes either a 2024 first or a 2025 first if NYR wins two rounds this year. If necessary, 2024 first is Top 10 protected and slides to 2025 if NYR in the top ten
Sounds like Kane will debut on Thursday against Ottawa at MSG. And let's hope the Hawks get our 2024 first round pick. That means we make the ECF at least this year, and our 2024 first rounder is not in the top 10. Either way we keep ours or the Stars 2023 first rounder (whichever pick is better we get).
Here is my take - this is a trade that had to be done. Even Kane now is still great, maybe not a dominant stud, but still great - 92 points in 78 games last season. And when he says I want to be a NYR and you can get him for a few picks, you have to make the deal if you are Drury. With that said, the East is loaded. You can legitimately say outside of Colorado the top 6 or 7 teams are in the East. That's just the way it is. BOS/TOR/TB will be a coin flip in the Atlantic. Canes/NJ/NYR will be pretty much a coin flip in the Met (although I do struggle to see the Devs beating both even with Meier). Then the ECF will be a coin flip between the teams that survive to get there. The Rangers also lack the sandpaper I think you need to win in the playoffs as they progress, and it concerns me for sure. They will try to overcome with skill. Truth is until the Kid line is the 2nd line that will always be the case. When you have a skill 3rd line it takes away some of the opportunity to have that extra sandpaper. But with the cap in the NHL, especially not going up much for one more year, Drury had to go in here. The cap is so rigid the Rangers will start to lose good players soon that they cannot afford. They need to pick the right guys to re-sign - Miller, Laf, Chytil, and we'll see on Kakko, but they will lose guys with this hard cap. So you have to go for it when you have the chance. But even with doing so, given how difficult the East is, and how tough the NHL playoffs are in general, the Rangers could lose to NJ in round 1 and it wouldn't be a major upset or shocker to a lot of folks. Welcome to the NHL playoffs.
I think they'll be able to keep everyone if they want to this offseason but they won't have much leftover for a FA other than maybe a solid 4th liner like Motte or someone like that. Othmann will hopefully take a spot in the fall and maybe Robertson on D. Cuylle too. Hopefully the cap will start rising more substantially after next season.
This year's team is much better on paper and they have 20 games to play and get accustomed to each other.
