No. 1: Patrick Kane
The Trade:
- Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: Patrick Kane (Blackhawks retain 50% of contract)
- Chicago Blackhawks acquire: Nick Robertson, Alex Kerfoot, Mac Hollowell, 2023 First-Round Pick and 2024 Second-Round Pick
There’s no bigger fish on the market than Kane and if the Leafs were to acquire him, they would be the Stanley Cup favorite immediately.
Sure, the Leafs best players have performed fine statistically in the playoffs, but they haven’t made it past the First Round.
Kane, on the other hand, has three Stanley Cup rings, including a Conn Smythe trophy and has been a difference-maker in every playoff series he’s played in.
Despite being a pending UFA and costing a fortune, Kane is worth taking a risk on every day of the week.
By adding Kane, you can easily push Kerfoot out the door as it then pushes William Nylander down the line-up or stacks the top-six even more.
Kane would make the roster better in every facet and if you thought Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews were good together, just imagine what Kane could bring.