Chicago Blackhawks star right winger Patrick Kane has left the team in California to return to Chicago, the team announced Saturday.

With the NHL trade deadline less than a week away, Kane has been rumored to leave the Blackhawks with the idea that the New York Rangers could land his services.

Given the mutual interest between Kane and the Rangers, there has been a surge in momentum toward a possible deal, sources told ESPN's Emily Kaplan. It comes with the caveat that Kane, who is a pending unrestricted free agent, has a no-movement clause that means the Blackhawks would hypothetically have to accept whatever the Rangers are willing to offer in return.

Rangers forward Vitali Kravstov was traded to Vancouver Canucks for forward Will Lockwood and a seventh-round pick in the 2026 draft, the teams announced Saturday. That move helps clear $875,000 in salary cap space for the Rangers, while landing the team a draft asset.

The Rangers are hoping to find a third-party broker who could retain part of Kane's salary to help alleviate the cost of Kane's $10.5 million cap hit, sources told Kaplan.

The buzz around Kane's potential departure intensified Saturday with the news that Kane would not play against the San Jose Sharks. Shortly thereafter, the Rangers placed forward Jake Leschyshyn ($766,667 cap hit) on waivers. CapFriendly projects the Rangers have $206,292 in available cap space.

Adding Kane, who has scored 16 goals and 45 points in 54 games this season, would strengthen the Rangers' top-six forward corps.

Earlier this month, the Rangers acquired winger Vladimir Tarasenko in a trade with the St. Louis Blues. Tarasenko has scored two goals and four points in seven games with the Rangers, who entered Saturday third in the Metropolitan Division.