On Thursday, we discovered the fate of former Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, who confirmed that his plan is to take next season off to focus on his health and then come back for the 2024-25 NHL season. We don't yet know what the future will hold for his long-time teammate Patrick Kane, but one of Kane's friends has reportedly confirmed that Kane has already selected his new team.
Per rumour reporter Eklund, of Hockey Buzz, a close friend of Kane's has revealed that the 3-time Stanley Cup winner will play for a contending team next season - and he already has a deal on the table.
Kane spent 16 years in Chicago before agreeing to waive his NMC last season for a trade to the New York Rangers. There's a lot of speculation that Kane intends to return to New York for another kick at the can in 2023-24, but there are a number of other teams who may be in the mix here that might make some sense for the 34-year-old.
Previous rumours had linked Kane to the Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs, but I'd imagine that his hometown Buffalo Sabres are a dark horse here. The Sabres may not be a guaranteed contender, but they have improved over the past few seasons and could challenge for a playoff spot this season with the Boston Bruins appearing to have taken an enormous step back this summer.
