NHL Rumors: Patrick Kane Interests Panthers; Injury Rehab Going ‘Incredibly Well’

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Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers have shown interest in signing Kane when he is cleared to play, according to Johnston.

Johnston wrote that Kane’s team plans to wait until “early November” to consider signing with a team, as “Kane won’t be in a position to return to game action before then anyway.”

Kane turns 35 on November 19. His agency in September released a video of him publicly skating for the first time since undergoing surgery.

After a midyear trade from the Chicago Blackhawks to the New York Rangers last season, Kane recorded 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 19 games and six more (one goal, five assists) in seven playoff contests for the Blueshirts.

Prior to his trade to the Rangers, Kane had played the majority of his eight-year, $84 million contract in Chicago, where he helped lead the Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015. He earned the Hart Trophy in 2016 after leading the NHL with 106 points.

Kane’s 2022-23 campaign marked the first time he had recorded fewer than 60 points in a campaign since the 2012-13 lockout season.

Kane’s agent Pat Brisson originally told reporters the former Blackhawks star was projected to have a four- to six-month recovery timeline, placing his return to the ice somewhere between October and December.

Washington Capitals center Nicklas Bäckström, who underwent hip resurfacing in June 2022, took seven months to recover before making his comeback to the NHL in January.

Brisson said Kane was expected to fully recover from the procedure, which allows more activity after recovery than hip replacement surgery, according to the Illinois Bone & Joint Institute.

The Sabres make sense as an option for Kane, who was born in Buffalo. Meanwhile, the Panthers have reportedly been “aggressive” as they make their interest in the winger known, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Other potential candidates in the upcoming bidding contest, according to the Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, are the Rangers, who could bring Kane back for another potential playoff run, and the Detroit Red Wings, where Kane could reunite with former Blackhawks linemate Alex DeBrincat.