Patrick Kane leaves Blackhawks as Rangers trade framework is built

Patrick Kane will likely be traded by the Blackhawks in the coming week.

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — Patrick Kane left the Blackhawks’ West Coast road trip Saturday as the team continued finalizing the framework for a likely trade to the Rangers.

“He has flown back to Chicago just until the situation rectifies itself either way,” coach Luke Richardson said after morning skate in San Jose.

There are still hurdles to cross. Kane still has not officially waived his no-trade clause, for one thing. Kane’s agent, Pat Brisson, described this as a “period of reflection” for him in a statement to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

And the framework is not fully complete given the complexity of the Rangers’ salary-cap situation.

The Rangers began the process of clearing space Saturday, placing Jake Leschyshyn on waivers and trading Vitali Kravtsov to the Canucks. They’ll still have to move more contracts in the trade, get the Hawks to retain 50% of Kane’s cap hit, use a third-party team to retain another 25% and potentially wait closer to the Friday trade deadline to make all the numbers work, though.

Nonetheless, the most likely outcome by far appears that — at some point — Kane will land in New York.

It’s a move that would shake the NHL, no matter how anticipated it has been, and truly mark the end of an era of hockey in Chicago. He ranks second in franchise history with 1,225 career points and third with 1,161 career games played.

Most likely, Kane has already played his final home game — a win Tuesday against the Golden Knights — and his final game overall. He will have gone out in style, scoring twice Wednesday in the epic comeback win against the Stars.

Fellow forward Sam Lafferty, meanwhile, was also held out of the Hawks’ game Saturday against the Sharks for “roster management” reasons as trade rumors swirl around him.

This story will be updated.

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