Report: Oilers considered blockbuster deal that would have changed the landscape of the Western Conference

The Hawks have recently made it known that, as of right now, Kane and teammate Jonathan Toews will be starting the season with the Hawks. Their futures will be decided at a later date and could change based on how the team performs throughout the season.

The Oilers and Hawks made a notable deal last summer when the Oilers acquired the now retired Duncan Keith. With the Oilers having just over $1.3M in cap space and with 3 RFAs including Ryan McLeod and Kailer Yamamoto to re-sign, the Oilers will have to move out a ton of money to acquire Kane. Even if the Hawks retained 50% of Kane's $10.5M to sweeten the return they would get, the Oilers need to move a few contracts out.

Of course, adding Kane to the Oilers' top 6 would be a massive upgrade, but for the reportedly sky-high asking price, is it worth it for one year, maybe even half a year of Kane? Any team that trades for Kane would likely want to have an extension worked out with him for the amount of assets they would be giving up. That adds a whole other wrinkle to any team's future plans. Coming off of a 92-point season, Kane could very well still command a steep ask in any new contract.

It will be a long tumultuous season for the Hawks and Kane, but one to keep an eye on as they continue their rebuild.