Patrick Kane Is Getting Traded, Might as Well be to the Maple Leafs

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The Toronto Maple Leafs must have noticed the fact that Kevin Durant is no longer likely to be joining the Raptors.

And with the Toronto Blue Jays failing to do anything exciting at the trade deadline (I mean, I always knew there was no chance Juan Soto was coming here, but…) the Toronto Maple Leafs are now the last chance we have this summer to bring a major superstar to our city.

I don’t know about you, but since I live in a city where the team’s rarely win, I crave that jolt of excitement that only comes when the likes of Mats Sundin, Phil Kessel, Dion Phaneuf, Troy Glaus, Josh Donaldson, Kawhi Leonard or Roger Clemons show up.

The potential energy that comes with getting a big superstar is something that can last an entire season and really bring the city together.

It is my opinion that the Toronto Maple Leafs should do everything they can to bring in a player like Patrick Kane, who is the best passer in the NHL, and who is coming off a 93 point season on one of the league’s worst teams.

Jan 18, 2020; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /

Why the Toronto Maple Leafs Need Kane

The Leafs are doing the right thing by sticking with the plan that has saw them build the best team in the NHL (results pending) but they are doing a crap job of selling this plan to their fans.

I don’t think there is one person in the Leafs world that spends as much of their time hanging with the people who disagree with them, and since we live in a world where everyone mostly spends time in their own bubbles, I think this is invaluable when it comes to knowing the pulse of the team.

This fan bases most passionate supporters would – with few exceptions – welcome a worse team with worse players that had different management.

One way to bridge that gap and get people excited would be to bring in a player so exciting that everyone forgets what they were mad about in the first place.

There is one player who is definitely available who fits that bill – Patrick Kane.

The Blackhawks aren’t just rebuilding, they bailed on their re-tool by shipping out young star Alex Debrincat and possible future star, but likely bust, Kirby Dach. You can guarantee that Kane and Toews do not want to be spending the rest of their careers playing on crap teams.

So in order to show some respect to two of the greatest players to ever wear their uniform, you can expect the Blackhawks to find them a new home sooner than later.

Sure, the trade deadline makes a lot more sense, but that won’t cut it for the Leafs and their fans. They need Patrick Kane in the blue and white immediately, and by training camp at the latest.

This team already has a group of the best defensive forwards in the world: Marner, Matthews, Kampf, Jarnkrok, Kerfoot and Engvall is likely more than doubling the next best team’s defensive forwards.

If there is a team in the NHL who can fit in a horrible defensive player like Patick Kane, it’s the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kane and Matthews are close friends who are said to keep in touch even throughout the season. (info from capfriendly.com).

SAN JOSE, CA – JANUARY 25: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

How the Toronto Maple Leafs Can Get Patrick Kane

Kane is currently the best American player ever, and Matthews is likely one playoff victory away from surpassing him for that title.

Matthews will have a chance to score an NHL record amount of goals if he has the NHL’s two best passers on his wings.

The Toronto Maple Leafs would have the best roster in the NHL, for sure, and maybe even the best in the cap era.

Patrick Kane on the Leafs makes sense. It’s a perfect fit.

Here is the trade:

The Blackhawks send Patrick Kane and 50% retained to the San Jose Sharks for Mario Ferarro, and Radim Simkek, James Reimer, and Nico Sturm to the Blackhawks which is approximately $10 million in salary. This should allow them to flip these guys at the deadline for extra assets. Chicago could take at least one more $2-ish million player from San Jose if they needed it.

The Toronto Maple Leafs send Jake Muzzin and an unprotected 2023 1st round pick to the Sharks for Patrick Kane, with half his remaining salary retained. The Sharks get a pick and some salary relief.

The Leafs also trade a 2025 unprotected 1st along with Nick Robertson, Justin Holl and Alex Kerfoot (both of whom Chicago will flip at the deadline) for Connor Murphy who is massively overpaid for a defense-only player.

The Blackhawks end up with six players they can flip for six draft picks, and they get a first round pick. Considering they get out of Connor Murphy deal as well, they do pretty well here for trading a pending UFA with a ten million dollar cap hit.

The Sharks get some salary relief (though not much because are taking Muzzin and retaining some salary) as they are over the cap, and they get a first, and Jake Muzzin.

The Leafs bring in Murphy and Kane, but Kane’s Cap hit is double retained, so they are taking in about $8 million but losing $11, which should also let them sign Sandin.

Connor Murphy will start on the LTIR anyways, so it shouldn’t matter too much.

Now, I’m just spit balling, and I’m not a cap expert nor an expert on anything really, except maybe on the works of Don DeLillo or Bruce Springsteen. The point here is just to show that the basic framework to make a trade like this is possible.

Next. The Leafs Owe Their Fans Some Fun. dark

Murphy is a righty and he’s tough as hell with tons of snarl. He’ll be super popular in Toronto, while Patrick Kane jersey sales alone will be enough to satisfy the Leafs, who will also be a nearly unstoppable as it is for an NHL team to be.

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