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Columnist: It’s time to explore trading Patrick Kane

Chicago Blackhawks v Phoenix Coyotes - Game Five

GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 21: Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks skates up to face off against the Phoenix Coyotes in Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Jobing.com Arena on April 21, 2012 in Glendale, Arizona. The Blackhawks defeated the Coyotes 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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Whenever a high-profile team bows out of the playoffs, you’re bound to get some wild ideas from writers all over the place. In the case of Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune, his big idea for the Chicago Blackhawks is to trade Patrick Kane.

Rosenbloom makes his case in his column and, as you might expect, it’s filled with very questionable ideas.

Kane’s goal production doesn’t match his hype or salary. Steven Stamkos had 60 this season and 45 and 51 in past seasons. Heck, Hawks castoff Radim Vrbata potted 35. Kane scored 30 goals. Once. And not this season.

But if Kane’s failure to match substance with style is a problem, there might be an even worse situation even if the Hawks tried to do something about it: I’d be afraid of what general manager Stan Bowman might do. Same goes if this has been the father and son outfit we all figured. Either way, the decisions coming out of Bowman’s office feel about one Alexander Karpovtsev shy of being a complete mess.

A Karpovtsev reference? That’s deep.

As for Kane, while he struggled to score goals against Phoenix, most everyone in Chicago did thanks to Mike Smith playing out of his mind in goal. Looking to ship out a top star in the league based on getting beat by a hot goalie is some real reactionary stuff.

Since he’s hot to compare Kane to Vrbata, Vrbata had as many goals as Kane did in the series (zero) and Kane out-assisted Vrbata 4-1. Hooray for small sample sizes.

The only reason Chicago should ship Patrick Kane out of town would be to land an absolute No. 1 goalie and let’s just say Roberto Luongo and Chicago don’t make for a nice mix and neither is Kane in Vancouver. Let’s just skip it entirely.