"Patrick Kane leaves the Blackhawks with a legacy that will be hard to match. We all love Patrick and the memories he provided our fans and our organization for 16 seasons. He and his representatives were great to work through during this process-I really appreciate the exemplary open communication we had-and we wish him well with the New York Rangers. I knew from day one of taking this job that there would be some tough days and today was one of the toughest.
Our goal from day one is to achieve sustained success throughout all levels of the organization and that goal remains. I appreciate the continued support of team leadership and I look forward to leading the Blackhawks into this next era on the ice."