The Toronto Maple Leafs made headlines after selecting Gavin McKenna first overall, but the bigger attention is now on what could come next. The Leafs are preparing for a very aggressive offseason, and veteran star Patrick Kane is being linked as a possible major signing. 

This comes as Toronto’s forward group has already been weakened by trades, injuries, and general roster uncertainty. McKenna shared a personal moment that added even more excitement around the pick.

“Patrick Kane texted me,” McKenna said. “He’s my idol, so that was cool.”

That simple interaction has increased speculation about Kane’s next team. Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has also not ruled out the possibility of his leaving.

Luke Fox of Sportsnet reported that Toronto was interested in Kane when he left Chicago in 2023. Now, general manager John Chayka seems open to looking at him again.

Chayka also spoke about the team’s overall plan.

“There are some bigger swings we’ll take and look at some things,” Chayka said. “There are some players we like. There are some needs we have. We will be aggressive, but we will also make sure we are not doing anything to hurt the future.”

The 37-year-old continues to produce offensively as well. In his third season with the Detroit Red Wings, Kane recorded 16 goals and 57 points in 67 games, finishing fifth on the team in scoring. His 0.85 points per game represented an uptick from the previous season.

With several players leaving the team, including Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton, and Nicolas Roy, and Max Domi’s injury creating even more gaps, Toronto now feels much more pressure.

Kane would bring more than just experience to Toronto. His presence could be invaluable for young players like Gavin McKenna and 21-year-old Easton Cowan, offering the kind of leadership that comes from a long and successful NHL career.

The Leafs have over $20 million in salary cap space, which gives them the ability to go after top forwards like Patrick Kane, Mason Marchment, and Ilya Mikheyev.

However, a competition is reportedly brewing for Kane.

Patrick Kane is also drawing interest from the Sabres as free agency battle takes shape

NHL insider Frank Seravalli said the Buffalo Sabres are also expected to try to sign the veteran winger. This could lead to one of the biggest free-agent battles of the summer.

"Like, what if a Patrick Kane homecoming is part of the plan for the Buffalo Sabres to help replace Alex Tuch?" Seravalli wrote. 

For Buffalo, the move makes sense. After Alex Tuch left the team, the Sabres need another top-six scorer.

Kane turned down chances to join his hometown team in the past, but things may be different now because the Sabres have finally ended their long playoff drought.

Tim Daniels of Sabre Noise reported that Toronto is still a strong option for Kane. The Leafs now have McKenna and want to improve their forward group. Kane is an experienced scorer who could help the team right away as it tries to compete in the tough Atlantic Division.

The situation becomes even more interesting if Kane turns down Buffalo again and signs with one of the Sabres' biggest rivals. If that happens, every game he plays at KeyBank Center would get a lot of attention.

Will Toronto go all in with Kane or stay patient this offseason? Let us know in the comments. 

Read more at the NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar