Blackhawks News: Patrick Kane was eliminated from postseason

The Chicago Blackhawks had a very tough season. They saw legends like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews play their final games with the team. It was a tough year to watch but we know brighter days are ahead.

We will find out how worth it the 2022-23 season of losing was for the Blackhawks on Monday when the NHL conducts the Draft Lottery. If they win, a generational talent like Connor Bedard will be coming to Chicago. If they come in second, Adam Fantilli won’t be so bad either.

To help fans get to that point though, some have enjoyed watching Patrick Kane finally play in the playoffs again for the first time in a long time. Of course, that is with the New York Rangers who Chicago traded him to before the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline.

In their first-round matchup, they jumped out to a relatively easy 2-0 lead over the New Jersey Devils who are very young. Kane looked good, especially in the second game where he scored a vintage Kane-type playoff goal.

Former Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane played in the 2023 playoffs.

New Jersey quickly figured things out though and won three of the next four games which got both teams to game seven.

Shockingly, Kane’s career with the Blackhawks saw him have zero goals in five career game sevens. He did have five assists though as he usually always found a way to make an impact.

Well, in this game, no Rangers players collected any points as the New Jersey Devils won the game via a 4-0 shutout. Kane’s season is over.

Outside of not seeing Kane until October (probably with his third NHL team), the conditional second-round pick that New York gave Chicago will remain a second-round pick as a result of the Rangers not advancing twice.

If they would have reached the Eastern Conference Finals, that 2023 second would have become a 2024 first. There are people that would argue that this pick is better because of the depth coming in this draft. We will see in the coming years.

Now, Chicago has a whopping four second-round picks to go with two first-round picks in 2022. They will make six selections in the first two rounds which is amazing for their farm system. If they can do well with some of these picks, big things could be coming for them.

As for Kane, it is hard to see the Rangers resigning him because of salary cap issues. You saw the struggles they went to just to bring Kane in. He will be one of the bigger free-agent fish this summer. He will have plenty of time to rest and think about his decision.