{"id":493755,"date":"2026-07-16T07:45:51","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T11:45:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=493755"},"modified":"2026-07-15T21:58:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T01:58:13","slug":"nhl-rumours-patrick-kane-fa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2026\/07\/16\/nhl-rumours-patrick-kane-fa\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL Rumours: Find Out Where Patrick Kane Will Sign"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It seems like one of the greatest American hockey players has narrowed down his list of potential intended destinations for the upcoming season. Welcome to NHL Rumours as we bring you the discussion on where <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/k\/kanepa01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-15_hr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Patrick Kane<\/a> might end up. Let&#8217;s get into it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\"><smartframe-embed class=\"smartframe_wp_element\" customer-id=\"b0c95bc04383cef69c6b47df872135cf\" image-id=\"WmOBcQpm4ONH\" style=\"width: 100%; display: inline-flex; max-width: 2048px; aspect-ratio: 2048\/1422;\" ><\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n<p><span>Credit Image: \u00a9 John J. Kim\/Chicago Tribune via ZUMA Press Wire<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>NHL Rumours and Patrick Kane&#8217;s Two Possible Landing Spots<\/h2>\n<p><em>Rumour:<\/em> We will caution the source, as he is not your typical rumour dropper. However, former fellow American hockey legend and three-time Stanley Cup Champion Chris Chelios was on the Mully and Haugh Show and said that he had talked to Patrick Kane directly. That is how he was confident in telling the audience that it is down to the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2026\/07\/13\/peyton-krebs-contract-buf\/\" target=\"_self\">Buffalo Sabres<\/a> or the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2026\/07\/09\/connor-bedard-out-4-months\/\" target=\"_self\">Chicago Blackhawks<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Analysis:<\/strong> Wherever Kane ends up based on these two proposed destinations, it will be a homecoming of sorts. So, either are equally likely of an outcome, based on him having the luxury of choosing his own destination.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Chris Chelios says he has spoken to Patrick Kane and he truly is deciding between Buffalo and Chicago <\/p>\n<p>(Via <a  href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/thescorechicago?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@thescorechicago<\/a>)  <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/abAtdddoAw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/abAtdddoAw<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; CHGO Blackhawks (@CHGO_Blackhawks) <a  href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CHGO_Blackhawks\/status\/2077398194611269784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">July 15, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>It did seem like the general consensus is that Kane would not be <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2026\/07\/15\/steve-yzerman-steps-down\/\" target=\"_self\">returning to the Detroit Red Wings<\/a>. The <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/d\/debrial01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-15_hr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alex DeBrincat<\/a> connection that was hoped for, back from DeBrincat&#8217;s start in the NHL, didn&#8217;t have the desired results. That would&#8217;ve been the main incentive for Kane returning to Detroit, as it doesn&#8217;t appear the club was as near to contention as they wanted. Overall, there are changes happening in Detroit, as Kane moving on is a main example. Furthermore, that follows from yesterday&#8217;s news of (now former) general manager Steve Yzerman taking a reduced role with the organization.<\/p>\n<h3>So, Where Is the Better Fit?<\/h3>\n<p>Now, as we continue with our NHL Rumours, let&#8217;s think about where Chris Chelios did suggest that Kane is wanting to go, and for that we will start with the Buffalo Sabres. Buffalo, New York is where Kane is from originally. After accomplishing all he has throughout his career, it is possible he just wants to finish off his career playing for his hometown Sabres. To be close to his family, not unlike fellow Blachawk legend Jonathan Toews did playing for the Winnipeg Jets last year.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, Buffalo seen a big resurgence in 2025-26, that essentially coincided with general manager Jarmo Kekalainen coming to town. The Sabres ended their futile 14-year-long Stanley Cup Playoff drought. If Kekalainen thinks that Kane could help bring some veteran leadership, and a positive voice in the dressing room, it might make sense for the team from Western New York to bring him on. Buffalo is a younger group, after all. The other aspect was how mightily the Sabre power play struggled, and down the stretch. You&#8217;d have to like the prospects of Kane feeding the <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/t\/thompta01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-15_hr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tage Thompson<\/a> one-timer on the man advantage. Moreover, even just bringing some stability to the secondary unit, wouldn&#8217;t be a bad thing either. So, if Kekalainen and Kane think it would be a solid match, and there are a few good reasons why they would, not to mention the hometown return aspect, Buffalo may end up as his destination.<\/p>\n<h3>We Could See the Return of a Blackhawk Legend?<\/h3>\n<p>Next up, is his other proposed destination, another homecoming of sorts, but this one given his legendary status in the community. Kane has over 1100 games and 1200 points, and not to mention the three Stanley Cup Championships from his time at the Madhouse on Madison.<\/p>\n<p>One reason this might be a good fit, is also one of the reasons going to Buffalo is a possibility, and that has to do with his fit with the group. Both teams have young, offensive talent, that could benefit from Kane&#8217;s middle-six scoring, his still elite playmaking, and ability to command and calm the offence, as a whole.<\/p>\n<p>The surprising thing about Kane possibly considering Chicago as a destination, is the lower likelihood of them challenging for the playoffs in the Central Division. But maybe for guys like <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/n\/nazarfr01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-15_hr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Frank Nazar<\/a>, Tyler Bertuzzi, and with the highly-probable impending breakout of star <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/b\/bedarco01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-07-15_hr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Connor Bedard<\/a>, this could be exactly what GM Kyle Davidson ordered. Someone like Kane could be the little extra sauce that gets those guys hungry offensively.<\/p>\n<p>So time will tell, but if Chelios is correct in who he chooses, this could be a major deal. Kane has still been scoring at a high rate and will likely boost either club&#8217;s talented offence. Buffalo or Chicago? Only Kane (and maybe time) can tell.<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It seems like one of the greatest American hockey players has narrowed down his list of potential intended destinations for the upcoming season. Welcome to NHL Rumours as we bring you the discussion on where Patrick Kane might end up. Let&#8217;s get into it. Credit Image: \u00a9 John J. Kim\/Chicago Tribune via ZUMA Press Wire [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4222,"featured_media":473432,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[27,3,4547,34,4548,4321],"tags":[299],"class_list":["post-493755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blackhawks","category-sabres","category-hockey","category-news","category-nhl","category-rumours","tag-patrick-kane"],"modified_by":"Levi Pike, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/493755","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4222"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=493755"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/493755\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":493768,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/493755\/revisions\/493768"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/473432"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=493755"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=493755"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=493755"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}