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Rangers reportedly will not have a reunion with Patrick Kane |
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Per Larry Brooks, the Rangers are not in on Patrick Kane. The reunion that some wanted, though many did not, is reportedly not in the cards. Kane is expected to decide on where he will play by Thanksgiving and has already started discussions with his suitors.
The Rangers, according to well-placed industry sources, have never been in the mix for the right wing who will turn 35 on Sunday and has been skating on his own in Toronto for approximately the last six weeks after undergoing hip resurfacing surgery on June 1.
The Maple Leafs, Panthers, Sabres, Red Wings, Stars and Lightning are believed among the interested parties who will meet with Kane over the next week.
Cap space, once Adam Fox returns, whenever that will be, will be very tight. But Brooks implied that the lack of available cap space is not the driver for this decision. New York has just decided that will not be in the mix for one of the best American-born players on history.
Kane is returning from hip-resurfacing surgery. That injury certainly impacted his performance last year, including his 19 game stint in New York. The Rangers went through cap gymnastics to fit Kane in last year. Whether it’s concerns over the return from the surgery, cap constraints, satisfaction with the current lineup and/or desire to maintain cap flexibility to add closer to the trade deadline, Kane will be elsewhere this season.