What is the Best Thing For Patrick Kane?
Patrick Kane is undoubtedly heading to the Hall of Fame shortly after his career ends.
The only thing about that is we need to wait awhile for him to call it quits as he still has plenty of gas in the tank.
Alex Ovechkin is 37 and still breaking records, and Patrick Kane doesn't seem like he will be slowing down by the time he is Ovi's age.
With that being said, we do know that the trade deadline is quickly approaching, and Patrick Kane still doesn't know what he is going to do.
As a writer, I want to know everyone's opinion about different things. So today, in this one, I am going to cover the possibilities for Kane's hockey future and then I'd like to see your input on a vote so I can get an idea of what the fans think is best for the longtime Blackhawk.
The first situation is that Kaner just stays. He is 2nd all-time in points for the Blackhawks, and is chasing Stan Mikita by 233 points. Kaner is 34, so let's say he plays through his age 38 season. If that were the case, he would need to average just about 58 points a year to break Mikita's record, which he has done in every season except two in which he played less than 50 games. By the end of the year. If he stays with the Hawks, Kaner should be around 25-30 points closer to breaking that record at least, so why not go for it.
The next option is for Kaner to leave the team via trade, but resign with the Hawks as a free agent this offseason. This would allow Kaner to remain a Blackhawk like he wishes, and he would only have to miss about 20 or so games. This choice could make a lot of sense for Kaner, as he is currently on pace to break Mikita's record even if he didn't play another game for the Hawks this season. On top of that, Kane's value could give the Hawks a lot in return to help build up the team for him to make a run at the cup towards the end of his career.
The last option is for Kaner to request a trade and stay away from Chicago. His son is still young enough where a move to a different city would not be a major change in his academic, social, or everyday life. Kaner may feel like now is a perfect chance to make a move and possibly find a new home closer to family (TALKING TO YOU, BUFFALO). Kane hasn't necessarily been treated like the legend he is in the recent past, so I wouldn't be shocked if he feels disconnected from the franchise after so much turnover in recent years. Kane leaving for good is definitely a possibility that people need to understand is much more realistic than we may think.
For my vote, I am going to go ahead and say that Kaner should request a trade, but come back as a free agent in the offseason. This would allow him to chase a cup now and help the team build up some talent to make a run at the cup in a few years. Plus, like I said, him leaving for 20ish games will not hinder his ability to break Mikita's records, so long as he stays relatively healthy.
| POLL | ||
So, what is in the best interest of Kaner and his family? | ||
| Stay in Chicago for good | 51 | 47.7 % |
| Request trade, but come back as free agent | 37 | 34.6 % |
| Leave for good and find a new, or old.... home | 19 | 17.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
