CAN THE STARS MAKE THE CAP WORK FOR KANE?

TORONTO, ON — The Patrick Kane watch is about to get kicked into high gear soon when he and his camp at CAA begin the process of exploring their options for this season and beyond.

Kane underwent hip resurfacing surgery in June and has been rehabbing and training in preparation for the season. While he is not likely to be ready for game action until the end of November, at the earliest, teams continue to check in on his status.

As we have reported since July 2022, the Dallas Stars are among the teams that have kept tabs on Kane’s availability. My understanding is there has been and remains interest from Kane, but if he and the Stars want to make this work, Dallas will have to free up the salary cap space to fit the star sniper onto their roster.

There are other teams in play – the Buffalo Sabres are among them, along with the Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche and at least two other clubs from the sounds of things.

The three-time Stanley Cup champion and his agent Pat Brisson are expected to begin fielding offers soon after the calendar flips to November. That doesn’t necessarily mean a decision will be made in the next week or two, and given the cap struggles of some teams, Kane’s decision could cause a ripple effect in the trade market.

Only the Sabres have over $4 million in available cap space to play with. For the rest, it’s going to take some extra cap juggling and maneuvering to fit Kane, who is likely to command a cap hit north of $5 million.

After registering 92 points in 2021-22, Kane tallied 21 goals and 36 assists for 57 points in 73 games with the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers last season and picked up six points in seven playoff games. He turns 35 on Nov. 19, but is still a sound offensive weapon.

What is also unclear is the term Kane will seek. He wants to play for a few more seasons and could sign a one-year deal at a lower (by his standards) cap hit to help his new team and prove he is still an elite hockey player. Alternatively, he could demand a multi-year contract and that too will affect the dollars.

Regardless of the number of years Kane wants, the Stars will have to move out a body or two to accommodate him and that might come at an extra cost.

Forwards Mason Marchment and Radek Faksa are pointless in their first five games of the season. Faksa ($3.25M AAV) owns a five-team no-trade list and has another year left on his contract. Marchment ($4.5M AAV) has a 10-team no-trade list and has two more years left on his deal after this season. The Stars have just under $500,000 in cap space, as of today, and that will accumulate, but a move will still be required.

Marchment’s name popped up over the summer as the Stars evaluated various options. It didn’t sound like anything was close, it may have simply been the team exploring the market. He had a lackluster campaign last season picking up 12 goals and 31 points in 68 games but did battle multiple injuries. Still, I have to wonder if he is someone Stars GM Jim Nill puts on the block.

There are teams willing to take on bodies if they are incentivized to do so. The Montreal Canadiens, San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia Flyers and Anaheim Ducks are all willing and able to be third-party conduits, but it comes with a price.

I believe all four teams have been in talks with the Vancouver Canucks about their Conor Garland situation, with all four acting as a facilitator that would see Garland end up elsewhere. So far, those discussions haven’t led to a deal and that re-emphasizes the associated cost needed to move out money. But could one of them be a home for Marchment or Faksa? That will depend on how much Nill is willing to dish out.

Expect to hear a little bit more about Kane by this time next week. Again, the process will just be getting started, but the ripple effect could be interesting.

HERE AND THERE…

• Cycling back to the Canadiens, I’m told the Habs did indeed have a conversation with the Washington Capitals about local boy Anthony Mantha and Montreal forward Joel Armia was part of the discussion, but I am not sure Washington would have been his final landing spot. Those talks have quieted down but could get revisited if the Capitals reengage.

• They’re only six games in, but the Toronto Maple Leafs may be getting a head start on potential targets for later in the season. The team has been gauging the future market on a cost-effective top-six winger.

• Anthony Di Marco had a good chat with Arizona Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong, who reiterated the team’s mindset this season – they’re going to push for the playoffs. That doesn’t mean they’re going all-in. If they come up short, Armstrong isn’t against selling off some pieces ahead of the trade deadline, but right now the team is focused on competing for a wildcard position. And with everything going on with that club off the ice, having a better product on it won’t hurt.

• Again, it’s early. But with 10 points in his first six games, Elias Pettersson has his sights set on another 100+ point season. How much is that going to cost the Canucks? They’re looking at a $12M AAV as a starting point if he pulls off back-to-back 100-point seasons, if they want to keep him long-term.

• Dmitry Orlov is a minus-11 and Tony DeAngelo is a minus-six. One of those is more shocking than the other, but nobody expected the Carolina Hurricanes to give up this many goals at any point this season. They’re averaging 4.71 goals-against per game right now. That needs to be nipped in the bud quick, especially considering how Brett Pesce (+3) and Brady Skjei (+5) are on expiring deals.