NHL Source: ‘Don’t Expect The Bruins To Be In On Patrick Kane’

The Patrick Kane chatter and rumors are about to kick into high gear again, and the Boston Bruins will likely be rumored as a team interested in signing the unrestricted free agent winger.

Patrick Kane has made it clear that he wants to play for a Stanley Cup contender, and with the Boston Bruins off to a surprising 6-0-1 start, they could be appealing to him. According to numerous NHL sources, though, the Bruins are not expected to be serious suitors for Kane when contract talks kick into high gear potentially as soon as next week.

“Don’t expect the Bruins to be in on Patrick Kane,” an NHL source pointed out to Boston Hockey Now on Saturday morning. “First of all, they don’t have the cap space to make it happen even if we’re talking like a one-year, $3 million contract. They also have plenty of wingers and would need to move one of them out. That’s easier said than done right now, with so many teams battling the cap. Now, if Kane let it be known to Don Sweeney that the Bruins were his top choice to sign with, well, then maybe Sweeney tries to pull some cap magic to make it happen. I don’t know. I just don’t see it.”

According to PuckPedia, the Boston Bruins have placed winger Milan Lucic (lower-body) on long-term injury reserve, and after calling up defensemen Mason Lohrei and Jakub Zboril on Friday, they currently have $137,259 in salary cap space.

According to ESPN NHL Insider Emily Kaplan, the future Hall of Famer, who is now 4.5 months into rehab from offseason hip-resurfacing surgery, is set to start entertaining contract offers in earnest in early November. As reported here and in numerous other outlets last month, the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings are expected to be serious suitors for Kane. From Kaplan:

‘Kane’s hometown Buffalo Sabres are keeping tabs. Kane has personal relationships with GM Kevyn Adams and coach Don Granato. A few years ago, Kane playing in Buffalo was completely out of the question for him, but dynamics have changed, and he’s open to the idea right now.

The Detroit Red Wings have been one of the early surprises of the season. The player seeing the most success in Detroit? Alex DeBrincat, the former Blackhawks winger Kane, considers one of his favorite linemates ever. I’ve heard the Florida Panthers let Kane’s camp know this summer they’re interested. The Dallas Stars looked into acquiring Kane at last year’s trade deadline, when he ultimately went to the Rangers and likely will revisit things. The Avs have been mentioned to me as a sleeper team, though they’d need to tinker with their roster to clear room.’