Why going after Patrick Kane might be a mistake for the Leafs

While the idea of bringing in Kane is certainly enticing on the surface, there are a number of ways in which this move could potentially backfire. For starters, Kane, at 34 years old, is beginning to show signs of decline - even after a 92-point campaign in 2021-22. Kane has been trending in the wrong direction for a number of seasons in terms of goal scoring. In fact, this season and the two previous have been his worst goal producing seasons dating back to 2012-13.

Another factor here is that Kane is the biggest fish on the market. The biggest fish almost always fetches the biggest return. Yes, Kane is a pending UFA with full control over where he goes, thanks to his full no-movement clause, but if he decides to give Chicago 3 or 4 options, it will trigger a bidding war. I don't think the Leafs would be wise to enter into a bidding war that could potentially cost them a long-term impact piece like Matthew Knies - whom Chicago has shown interest in previously.

Lastly, during this season and in each of his previous two seasons, Kane has a negative takeaway to giveaway ratio and has only blocked a combined 30 blocked shots. For a Leafs team who has really committed to playing the game the right way, trying to break a 34-year-old out of several years of bad habits within a limited window may prove to be a bit of a challenge.

Look - Patrick Kane is a future Hall of Famer. None of this is meant to discredit him and what he's done in Chicago. He's an elite player. He's been an elite player a long time, and while he may be the best individual player available at this year's deadline, there's no guarantee that he's the best player for the Leafs. If Kyle Dubas does pull the trigger on a major deal that results in Kane landing in Toronto, there will be plenty of reasons to be excited - but there will be an enormous cost attached and, as we well know, there are no guarantees in the playoffs.