The New York Rangers are bringing “Showtime” to Broadway.
The Rangers acquired star forward Patrick Kane from the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday in exchange for a conditional 2023 second-round draft pick, which could turn into a 2024 first-round selection, and a 2025 fourth-round pick.
New York also received defenseman Cooper Zech from Chicago in the three-team deal which also involved the Arizona Coyotes.
The Blackhawks also acquired defenseman Andy Welinski from New York.
The Coyotes received a 2025 third-round draft pick from New York while sending defenseman Vili Saarijarvi to Chicago. Arizona will pay 25 percent of Kane’s remaining salary for his contract that expires at the end of the current season.
Chicago will retain 50 percent of the remaining balance on Kane’s $10.5 million salary.
Kane said in a statement released by the Blackhawks, “I’m so thankful for everything the city, the Blackhawks organization, my teammates and the fans have done for me and my family over the last 16 years — the support was constant from day one and Chicago will forever be home for us.
“This has been an emotional time for me and my family, but I feel this decision puts me in the best spot to immediately win another Stanley Cup. This isn’t about me leaving the Blackhawks, but this is an opportunity for me — the Blackhawks did everything they could to put me in a great position and I will forever be grateful. It is bittersweet to leave a place that is so special to me, but I will always carry the memories we made in Chicago.”
Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement, “Patrick Kane leaves the Blackhawks with a legacy that will be hard to match. We all love Patrick and the memories he provided our fans and our organization for 16 seasons.
“He and his representatives were great to work through during this process — I really appreciate the exemplary open communication we had — and we wish him well with the New York Rangers.”
Kane, 34, is in the midst of the final season of an eight-year deal that carried a no-movement clause. He now will be reunited with former Blackhawks teammate Artemi Panarin, who leads the Rangers in assists (48) and points (67).
With Panarin on his wing, Kane recorded a career-high total in goals (46) to go along with 60 assists en route to winning the Hart Trophy in 2015-16.
Kane has 45 points (16 goals, 29 assists) in 54 games this season with the Blackhawks.
A three-time Stanley Cup champion, Kane has recorded 1,225 points (446 goals, 779 assists) in 1,161 career games since being selected by the Blackhawks with the top overall pick in the 2007 NHL Draft.
Welinski, 29, had four goals and 12 assists in 40 games for AHL Hartford this season.
Zech, 24, has played in 13 games for AHL Rockford this season, producing one goal and one assist.
Saarijarvi, 25, is playing for the Langnau Tigers in Switzerland’s top league. He has 11 goals and 22 assists in 49 games this season.
–Field Level Media
