More than a week ago, Patrick Kane was reported to be returning from hip surgery after rehabilitation.
It has been rumored that Patrick Kane will be joining multiple Eastern Conference teams in the near future.
There are four teams in this list: the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, and New York Rangers. As Kane nears the end of his career, it seems likely he'll play for a Stanley Cup contender.
As a result, it's not surprising that Bill Zito and the Florida Panthers are aggressively pursuing him.
Currently, the team has a 9-4-1 record, and they are defending Eastern Conference Champions.
Having Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad return to the fold will make the move difficult, since they will have less than $100K in cap space.
To make that happen, they might have to sign Kane to a league minimum salary, as well as make salary adjustments.
There is no guarantee Kane will join the Panthers, but they are reported to be the most aggressive team trying to sign him.
In his podcast, 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said, «We're starting to get close to the Patrick Kane decision, I think this week he's going to start talking to some teams. Bill Zito, the GM of Florida, has been one of the most aggressive GMs when it comes to Kane» .
It may still be a matter of comfort rather than a championship that leads Kane back to New York or his hometown team, the Buffalo Sabres.
Whether Steve Yzerman will include him in the Yzerplan is unlikely to be known for sure, however.
