Report: Patrick Kane trade between Blackhawks, Rangers nearing conclusion originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Chicago Blackhawks appear to be putting the finishing touches on a Patrick Kane trade.
The focus over the last 24 hours has been on finalizing the details of a deal that would send the longtime Hawks star to the New York Rangers, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
“We’re grinding towards a conclusion, no one wants a misstep,” Friedman tweeted Saturday morning.
One of the final details will be the 34-year-old Kane, who is in his 16th season with the Blackhawks, waiving his no-trade clause ahead of the March 3 deadline.
Speculation of an impending trade intensified on Thursday when the Rangers announced prior to their matchup with the Detroit Red Wings that Vitali Kravtsov and Jake Leschyshyn were unavailable due to “roster management reasons.” Both are out again Saturday for the Rangers’ matinee against the Washington Capitals.
Kane, meanwhile, had a “maintenance day” on Friday and did not practice with the Blackhawks. After this he played his best hockey of the season while tallying seven goals and three assists over his last four games, all of which have been Chicago victories. Kane, who has 16 goals and 29 assists in 54 games this season, was asked after Wednesday’s 4-3 win over the Dallas Stars if he has been extra motivated to showcase himself ahead of the trade deadline.
“No, I don’t know,” Kane said. “It’s just, I think all of a sudden you get going and you start feeling good, you start feeling confident. I was the beneficiary of a few plays tonight and even the last couple games too. I think things are just clicking.”
The Blackhawks continue a four-game road trip on Saturday when they play the San Jose Sharks. No word yet on if Kane will be available to play.
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