Patrick Kane waives no-move clause to join Rangers, eyes 4th Stanley Cup

The New York Rangers acquired Patrick Kane in a trade with Chicago on Tuesday, reuniting the star winger with former teammate Artemi Panarin and stamping themselves as a Stanley Cup contender in the loaded Eastern Conference.

New York was believed to be out of the running for Kane after it acquired Vladimir Tarasenko from St. Louis on Feb. 9. The 34-year-old Kane also had been noncommittal when asked about leaving his only NHL home.

But Kane loved playing with Panarin for two seasons at the beginning of the Russian winger's NHL career, and the three-time Stanley Cup champion was in control of his situation because of a no-movement clause in his contract.

After days of rumours and salary cap manoeuvring, the Rangers sent a conditional 2023 second-round pick, a 2025 fourth-rounder and minor league defenceman Andy Welinski to the rebuilding Chicago for Kane and minor league defenceman Cooper Zech. Chicago also acquired Finnish defenceman Vili Saarijarvi from Arizona as part of the trade.

The Coyotes received a 2025 third-rounder from the Rangers to retain 25 per cent of Kane's salary, with Chicago keeping 50 per cent.

The conditional second-rounder that Chicago got from New York becomes a 2024 first-rounder if the Rangers reach this year's East final. If it remains a second-round selection, Chicago will have eight picks in the first three rounds in the upcoming draft.

"A lot of emotions, to be honest. It doesn't seem real right now, that we traded Patrick Kane," Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson said. "But really excited for him to get a chance to play for the Rangers, play at Madison Square Garden with a really good team, and we're looking forward to watching him compete with New York."

Kane will make his Rangers debut Thursday night at home against Ottawa. He scored the biggest goal of his NHL career in Philly, an overtime winner in Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final, ending Chicago's 49-year title drought.

He was in the middle of his best stretch of the season when he left Chicago during their road trip amid the trade talks. He has seven goals and three assists during a four-game point streak.

"I think Patrick recognized it was a good fit for him and it's a good fit for us," New York GM Chris Drury said. "We're certainly excited that he wanted to be traded and that it was to the New York Rangers."

But Drury only had to trade one first-round pick, a fourth-rounder and two players to St. Louis. After acquiring one first-rounder from Dallas last summer for young defenceman Nils Lundkvist, the Rangers had enough draft capital to obtain Kane from Chicago.

Kane was selected by the Chicago with the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft. He is in the last season of an $84 million US, eight-year contract extension that was finalized in July 2014.

Kane helped Chicago put together the best stretch in franchise history, winning the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015. Chicago also made it to the Western Conference final in 2014, losing to the Los Angeles Kings in an epic seven-game series.

"The contributions Patrick Kane has made to the Chicago organization and city of Chicago will never be forgotten," Chicago CEO Danny Wirtz said. "While today marks the end of an era for the team, he will forever be a part of the Chicago family."

Kane has long been one of the league's most gifted wingers. He has 16 goals and 29 assists in 54 games, and his numbers have been hurt by the lack of talent around him.

Kane also has a long history of playoff success. Beyond the series-clinching goal in 2010 against the Flyers, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2013.

He has 14 seasons with at least 21 goals and 13 years with at least 40 assists. He won the 2016 Hart Trophy as NHL MVP after he had a career-high 46 goals and 60 assists in 82 games.

Just last season, when Chicago had Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome, Kane scored 26 times and matched a career best with 66 assists in 78 games.