The Arizona Coyotes were a bottom-tier defensive team last season and with a unit that is young, inexperienced, and in need of veteran leadership, Dumba would fit perfectly. He also accumulated 116 blocks and 104 hits a season ago, something that is more than appealing to a team in need of defensive help. He did just that with a controversial hit on the Dallas Stars' Joe Pavelski during last year's playoffs and while the Wild did not win that series, Dumba undeniably set the tone for those games and in the process, enraged fans while receiving no punishing from the league.ĭumba was a 14-point guy in 2022-23, somewhat sub-par for a guy considered a top remaining free agent, but his value to a potential suitor is in his leadership skills. Matt Dumba is a tone-setting defender who will not wow anyone with his stats but can deliver a big hit at the right time and help stifle the opposition's offense. Prediction: Kane remains a free agent well into the season before signing with a contender late, just in time for playoff push Then it'll be back to the unrestricted free agent pool in summer 2024: a year older, a lot healthier and with a salary cap that's going to significantly rise for the first time in years."ĭo not count out a return to the Rangers, especially if they are back in a similar position to last season as a contender in the Eastern Conference. Kane's agent Pat Brisson told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski, "The expectation is that Kane would sign for the rest of the season with a contender, rather than ink a multiyear deal when he's healthy. He may not be the same elite player that he was when he guided Chicago to three Stanley Cup champions but he is still one of the smartest players on the ice and a guy who can benefit a team looking to achieve the same goals he already has three times over. Teams like the Rangers, Oilers or Hurricanes would be able to sign Kane to a salary cap-friendly deal that includes modest performance bonuses that would make it possible to sign while working around a strict cap. The former All-Star and Stanley Cup champion has already begun his recovery and there is a chance he is back in time to make a run with a contender late in the 2023-24 season. It is by no means a career-ending procedure, but it does demand healing time, creating questions about where and when the future Hall of Famer will return to the ice. Kane had a hip resurfacing procedure on June 1, an alternative to a full replacement that is extremely uncommon in athletes. ![]() The conclusion of his eight-year contract, however, means he is an unrestricted free agent for the first time ever and there is uncertainty about his future. ![]() With New York, Kane scored five goals and tallied seven assists in 19 games. Patrick Kane saw his championship-winning run with the Chicago Blackhawks come to an end in 2023 when he was traded to the New York Rangers.
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