Kane waits as Rangers deal
On the way out of the arena late in the third period of the New York Rangers' latest loss, Vitali Kravtsov ran into Washington Capitals forward Aliaksi Protas and told him he was heading to Vancouver.
Patrick Kane could soon be going from Chicago to New York in his place.
The Rangers on Saturday began the machinations necessary if a trade for Patrick Kane were to materialize. They traded Kravtsov to the Vancouver Canucks and put forward Jake Leschyshyn on waivers, transactions that in combination could clear the cap space to get Kane from Chicago.
Those moves happened while the Rangers were in the midst of getting drubbed 6-3 by the division rival Capitals, with the background distractions creeping into New York's play.
“I think everybody is aware of what's going on around us,” captain Jacob Trouba said. “As a player, that's not something for you to worry about. Your job is to play the game and be ready to play when the puck drops.”
It's unclear if Kane could be with the Rangers the next time the puck drops for them, today at home against the Kings, or if the wait will be longer. But it doesn't appear Kane will play again for the Blackhawks any time soon, with the 34-year-old leaving the team during its road trip.
“He has left this morning,” coach Luke Richardson said in San Jose. “As as of today, he has flown back to Chicago, I think, just until the situation rectifies itself.”
Winnipeg acquired forward Nino Niederreiter from Nashville on in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. The 30-year-old Niederreiter has totaled 199 goals and 197 assists over 788 career NHL games.
St. Louis claimed winger Kasperi Kapanen off waivers from Pittsburg. He had seven goals and 13 assist this season for the Penguins