Islanders top 2022 offseason trade targets

Patrick Kane - Chicago Blackhawks

Why Him?
Three Stanley Cups, an Art Ross, a Conn Smythe, a Hart, and, more importantly, 430 goals and 1,180 points in 1,107 career games. Patrick Kane's career is that of an elite-level player.

Sure, he's 33 years old and will turn 34 in November, but the guy isn't done. On a bad Chicago team, he scored 26 goals and 92 points in 78 games this year. He's been over a point-per-game in each of the last four seasons. I'm sure he'll slow down eventually but it doesn't seem like he's ready to do so just yet.

I know the Islanders need to get younger. Trust me I know. Bringing in a 33-year-old doesn't make the team younger, but Kane isn't just a guy on his final lap around the NHL. He's still putting up buckets of points.

Again, 92 points this year. Only 13 players had more production than Kane this season. His 92 points are 33 more than the highest scoring Islander. He's got as much production as Mathew Barzal and Kyle Palmieri combined.

On Barzal, who has idolized Kane since he was a kid, what would it be like to play with him and learn from him? I understand Kane has had his off-ice issues, and you don't want Barzal learning that from Kane, but who better to learn how to be a game-breaking elite-level forward than Patrick Kane?

Oh and not to mention that Kane is absolutely lethal in the shootout. With 49 shootout goals in his career only teammate, Jonathan Toews is better in the skill competition in the history of the league. Adding Kane would fix the Isles shootout issue. Though I admit that's a fringe benefit.

Can they make it work?

The $10.5 million cap hit that Kane carries for 2022-23 says no. Even with $13.5 million in projected cap space, the Isles will have difficulty fitting this cap hit on the books. To facilitate any move, the Hawks would have to chew a sizeable portion of that cap hit.

There also isn't an indication that Kane wants to be traded from Chicago. He controls a full no-move clause in his contract and might want to stick around and play out his career in one city.

So that first ball (allowing a trade) has to drop before anything else happens. But if Kane says he wants to leave the Blackhawks you know Lou will try to make it work.