The Chicago Blackhawks have drawn the line between themselves and their former stars who are still active in the NHL. They traded Patrick Kane away and let Jonathan Toews walk with no interest in retaining him.
Kane finished out that 2022-23 season with the New York Rangers and has been with the Detroit Red Wings in the two years since. As for Toews, he stepped away from the NHL to focus on his health.
In the meantime, new young stars like Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Alex Vlasic have started to take over the Blackhawks. A new era is truly underway in Chicago.
Now, Jonathan Toews is trying to make a comeback, and multiple teams are interested. At the same time, Kane is an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team he wants. What if the two decided to team up by signing at the same place?
There is more than one organization looking for a depth center and a high-end winger. Kane has some great offensive hockey left in the tank, while Toews is a little more unknown due to his long absence.
Between the skills that they would (likely) bring to the table, their leadership, and the level of high-leverage experience that they have, plenty of teams would take the risk of signing the duo. Some teams make more sense than others.
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets have been one of the better regular-season teams in the National Hockey League over the last half-decade or so. They have the best goalie in the world behind an outstanding group of skaters at all positions.
It is the playoffs where the Jets cool off in the worst way. In 2024-25, they needed a miracle just to get past the St. Louis Blues in the first round. In the second round, they were defeated by the Dallas Stars. Exiting that early is not what Presidents Trophy winners have in mind.
Veterans like Toews and Kane may be just what they need in Winnipeg. They don’t attract many free agents due to Geography, but this could be a nice little cheat code. Toews is from Winnipeg, which gives them an edge when it comes to signing him.
If Kane wants to tag along with his buddy, this destination makes a ton of sense. Why they’d pick Toews’ hometown team over Kane’s hometown team (Buffalo Sabres) goes without saying.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are very similar to the Winnipeg Jets. They are a Canadian Eastern Conference team that loves dropping out of the playoffs early following incredible regular seasons.
Toronto is going to lose superstar winger Mitch Marner in free agency. This is somewhat of a messy divorce between the two, as they never reached their true potential together. John Tavares, an elder veteran, may also be on his way out, but it isn’t as confirmed as Marner’s situation. Either way, a lot of offensive production will be lost from their lineup.
This is where you insert the idea of adding Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. They won’t cost as much as they once did, but they will still bring the goods to a new team. Whether it be their clutch ways, leadership, or ability to play at a high level at all times, they are perfect for the Maple Leafs, who may have some legit cap room.
Toronto still has stars like Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Matthew Knies who will be looking to take a step forward despite the upcoming changes. Toews and Kane would be perfect to have around during that transition.
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are now coached by Joel Quenneville. After a long time away from the league, he is back looking to help a young team take a huge step.
Just based on having Quenneville alone, the Ducks make sense for Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Their winningest years came with Quenneville at the helm. This player duo would play a big role in Anaheim’s growth under their new coach.
There are a lot of similarities between this Ducks team and the young Blackhawks team that did a lot of winning in the 2010s. From a hockey standpoint, Toews and Kane make a ton of sense in that regard. A responsible center and offensively gifted winger, despite their ages, would fit in nicely in Orange County.
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