Chicago Blackhawks star right winger Patrick Kane has left the team's trip in California to return to Chicago, the team announced on Saturday.
With the NHL trade deadline less than a week away, Kane has been long 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 also comes with the caveat that Kane, who is a pending unrestricted free agent, has a no-movement clause which means the Blackhawks would hypothetically have to accept whatever the Rangers are willing to offer in return.