Patrick Kane Linked To Maple Leafs After Text At Draft

While pending UFA Patrick Kane and the Detroit Red Wings have had mutual interest in a new contract, a pending Dylan Larkin trade could have thrown a wrench into those plans for Kane.

Now the three-time Stanley Cup winner is being linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency. 

If Patrick Kane gets to market, I expect Toronto to be in the mix. @TLNdc

— Nick Alberga (@thegoldenmuzzy) June 29, 2026

And after a text from Kane to the Toronto Maple Leafs' No. 1 pick at the NHL Draft the other night, Gavin McKenna, rumors of Kane going to the Buds have only increased. 

Gavin McKenna says he received about 60 messages on his phone last night after going 1st overall

"I don't have my number out there so there's not a whole lot of texts" 🙂

One that stood out?

"Patrick Kane texted me. He's my idol so that was cool."@BarDown

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) June 27, 2026

Kane was McKenna's idol. If the Leafs could manage to have both Auston Matthews and Kane mentoring McKenna, it would be an ideal start to the young phenom's career. 

Insider Frank Seravalli added on Frankly Hockey on Monday that the Leafs have been linked to Kane before. 

"Toronto was always interested. Obviously, a different regime, but trying to get their hands on Patrick Kane previously, he is what he is at this point. He's a specialist, good for 55-60 points... And look, if you can add (Darren) Raddysh and make this power play work if you think there's space for him... You've got cap space... Be aggressive on super short-term, 1-year, 2-year deals to see if you can have your team bounce back and become a destination again."

And Elliotte Friedman just threw it out there earlier Monday on the 32 Thoughts podcast, "What if Patrick Kane signs in Toronto this week?"

The @MapleLeafs got their guy in Gavin McKenna, and he could look like prime Patrick Kane in Toronto. 👀 #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/xesUtaVZlI

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) June 26, 2026

Kane, a three-time Cup winner with the Chicago Blackhawks in the early 2010s, posted 41 assists and 57 points in 67 games last season with the Red Wings after two consecutive 20-goal seasons there. In his 19-year NHL career, the 37-year-old has 508 goals and 1,400 points in 1,369 games.