Report: Kane breaks off negotiations with teams

It's been pretty much radio silence from NHL superstar Patrick Kane for the majority of this offseason... until this past week.

NHL insider Darren Dreger has issued multiple updates on Kane this past week, leading many fans to speculate that a new contract could be in the works.

The longtime Chicago Blackhawks forward who ended last season with the New York Rangers underwent hip resurfacing surgery in June and is slated to return to action January, 2024 but he could return sooner given how well his recovery has gone.

“It’s just exciting to see progression and just feeling better on the ice,” Kane said in an interview with The Associated Press. “Kind of getting back to my old self, so it’s pretty exciting.”

“I think we’re at the point now where, I mean, could I come back early? Yeah, probably,” Kane said. “But does it make sense? You know, it might be better to take the full time and just make sure I’m at 105-110% instead of just 90-95. But it’s a lot better than I was last year.”

As for where he'll be playing and what jersey he'll be wearing next season though, well that remains to be seen. Kane is still an unrestricted free agent and swears that he doesn't have any back room, handshake deal with any teams. He maintains that he's remaining patient and will take the offer that makes the most sense once he's back to full health.

“If someone wanted to come and give an offer that I was excited about, and a situation that I’m excited about, it’s not like I wouldn’t be listening just because of the situation I’m in,” he did say however.

Yesterday, however, on TSN's 'Insider Trading' segment, Dreger reported that Kane has essentially broken off negotiations with teams until the end of October when he nears his return. Dreger reports that "multiple teams, plenty of teams actually" have expressed interest in Kane, but Kane himself would rather negotiate a contract a month from now.

Meanwhile TSN insider Dave Poulin reported on TSN 1050 this last week that if indeed Kane's hip condition heals as expected then the Toronto Maple Leafs will be "at the forefront of potential suitors."

Honestly though... I don't see it.

First off, have you seen the Leafs' cap situation? How on Earth does Poulin expect the Leafs to get Kane under contract? It would take a Herculean effort from Leafs GM Brad Treliving to get a deal done, but the NHL's 35+ age rules on contracts actually helps the Leafs. The rule states that teams can sign a player aged 35 or older to a minimum salary contract ($775,000) and then increase his pay through performance bonuses. The loophole is that the team is only on the hook this season for the players' salary and not his performance bonuses, which get kick to next season.

Of course, there are still hot rumors that Kane will sign with his hometown Buffalo Sabres.

With nearly $9 million in cap space, the Sabres make a Hell of a lot more sense than the Leafs to me. But, honestly... I'm not sure I see a fit there either. Sure, there's room for Kane at the top of the lineup but the Sabres have such a good thing going with their young core that you wonder if adding a veteran like Kane to the lineup will have an poor impact. Really it comes down to his salary and his usage from head coach Don Granato, but I could see things going either way. I wouldn't be surprised if Kane signs with the Sabres and knocks it out of the park, or if he signs with them and fails to live up to expectations. Time will tell, I suppose.

For what it's worth, Kane was productive for both the Blackhawks and Rangers last season, despite playing with a painful hip injury. He ended his season with 12 points in 19 regular season and six points in seven playoff games for the Rangers. Not bad for a guy skating with a bum hip...

It's worth noting though that only one NHL player has ever returned from this sort of hip surgery to any sort of success in the NHL. Washington Capitals star Nicklas Backstrom took a seven months off to recover from the surgery and managed 21 points in 39 games once he returned to action. Carl Hagelin underwent the same surgery and was not able to return to action, while longtime NHL defenseman Ed Jovanovski played just 37 games after the surgery before retiring for good. Here's hoping that Kane's experience is more like Backstrom's than Hagelin's or Jovanovski's.

Thoughts, Leafs fans?