- Conn Smythe and three-time Stanley Cup winner Patrick Kane is favored to sign with the Buffalo Sabres.
- The former Chicago Blackhawks’ forward remains a free agent as he continues to rehab from hip surgery.
- Kane reportedly met with the Toronto Maple Leafs this week.
According to Bovada, Patrick Kane has a strong chance of playing for his local childhood NHL team in Buffalo, New York. The Buffalo Sabres are betting favorites to sign the three-time Stanley Cup champ to a contract. With +145 odds, the Sabres have a slightly better chance than the New York Rangers to sign the future Hall of Fame free agent.
Currently, the Rangers are +175, while the Detroit Red Wings and Florida Panthers are +250 to sign Kane. The odds regress significantly to +1500 for the Chicago Blackhawks to ink their former alternate captain. Kane spent 15 ½ years of his career in Chicago before being dealt at the trade deadline last year.
In addition to three Stanley Cups and a Conn Smythe, the Buffalo native was named to nine NHL All-Star Games and the Hart Trophy for league MVP in 2016. The Blackhawks are building a young core around Connor Bedard and are unlikely to have any interest in the 34-year-old veteran.
For Kane’s next team odds, he has just a 6.3 percent chance of reuniting with his former employer. In contrast, there is a 40.8 percent implied probability of Kane’s next game being in a Sabres jersey.
Kane Meets With Maple Leafs
For hockey fans who have been following the Kane trade rumors, you might be surprised to find that the Toronto Maple Leafs are not included in the odds at Bovada. The most discussed team among Kane’s next team in the media has been the Maple Leafs.
According to NHL insider John Shannon, Kane met with the Maple Leafs on Tuesday. Kane hasn’t been training far from Toronto. In an attempt to get back into hockey shape, he is reportedly skating in Oakville, Ontario, in the Greater Toronto Area.
It was a quick drive over to visit the front office to meet with GM Brad Treliving in Toronto. There have been no comments from the Maple Leafs or Kane regarding the meeting.
While Maple Leafs fans want to see the team sign Kane, it is likely nothing more than the organization doing their due diligence and seeing where things stand.
With no odds offered on Kane signing in Toronto, Bovada either has no confidence in the forward playing for the Maple Leafs, or oddsmakers are having a tough time accurately pinpointing the odds.
Kane’s Agent Confident No Teams Will Turn Him Down
Do you know where else isn’t far from Oakville? Buffalo is a short drive across the border.
Kane reportedly plans on meeting with up to eight teams shortly. Last month, Kane’s agent, Pat Brisson, discussed his client’s future in the NHL.
“Let’s make sure he is 100 percent and that he feels great. Then we can decide where he’s going to go,” Brisson said. “There’s going to be plenty of teams doing good, plenty of teams doing bad. We’ll pick where we want to go. I don’t think too many teams will turn him down.”
Despite no meetings having taken place yet, Kane has reportedly been in contact with the Sabres. We should expect some more information soon regarding Kane’s status in Buffalo.
Hip Surgery Concerns
The most difficult equation to solve for teams is how much to pay Kane. In June, Kane underwent hip resurfacing surgery to correct a persistent injury that was bothering him.
Two months later, Kane noted that rehab was on track and possibly ahead of schedule, which involves a six-month timetable.
“I think we’re at the point now where, I mean, could I come back early? Yeah, probably,” Kane shared. “But does it make sense? You know, it might be better to take the full time and just make sure I’m at 110-115% instead of just 90-95%. But it’s a lot better than I was last year.”
As Kane approaches the end of the timetable, teams will have to decide if signing a 34-year-old Stanley Cup champion, who is fresh off hip surgery, is a wise decision. Last season, Kane scored 29 goals and 45 assists in 54 games with the Blackhawks.
In his short stint with the Rangers, he finished with five goals and seven assists in 19 regular season games. A reunion could be in the works, according to Bovada. Currently, only the Sabres have better odds of signing Kane to a contract than the Rangers.
