Former Blackhawks great Patrick Kane plans to sign with the Red Wings following a lengthy bidding period, according to multiple reports Tuesday.
Kane, who turned 35 this month, had been recovering from hip resurfacing surgery and evaluating the pros and cons of his suitors over the first two months of the season after becoming a free agent this past summer.
The Panthers, Stars, his hometown Sabres and several other teams were reportedly also under consideration, but Kane ultimately opted to reunite with former Hawks partner-in-crime Alex DeBrincat on a resurgent Wings team that currently ranks fourth in the Eastern Conference with an 11-6-3 record.
Kane’s contract will be for one year and carry a $2.75 million salary-cap hit, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported.
It’s a move that won’t please many Hawks fans, who may have accepted the fact Kane wouldn’t be returning to Chicago but who nonetheless won’t enjoy seeing him in the bright red tones of a rival.
It was the Wings, after all, who ended Kane’s first playoff run with the Hawks in the 2009 Western Conference Final. More recently, it was also the Wings against whom Kane scored his 400th career goal during the 2021 no-fans season.
Even new Hawks star Connor Bedard, who was 2 years old when Kane was drafted, senses that strangeness.
“Him and [Jonathan] Toews being gone, it’s weird just from being a fan growing up and seeing the success they had,” Bedard said. “It’s probably weird for him, too.”
The Hawks will face the Wings in Detroit on Thursday, although it’s unclear if Kane will be in the lineup that soon.
Wings coach Derek Lalonde told reporters Tuesday that his organization still has hurdles to clear before they can make the signing official, further complicating the timeline. Hawks coach Luke Richardson, however, seemed prepared to face Kane.
“If he’s ready to sign, I’m sure he’s ready to play,” Richardson said. “I expect to see him. The good thing is our guys know him and know — as good as he is — his tendencies out there. That’s an easy ‘pre-scout’ for us.”
The Wings’ visit to Chicago isn’t until Feb. 25, the date of Chris Chelios’ jersey retirement ceremony.
Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has shifted approaches from patiently rebuilding to aggressively adding. Kane, DeBrincat, Shayne Gostisbehere, J.T. Compher, Ben Chiarot, Jeff Petry and James Reimer have all been brought into Detroit this season.
At this point, with Kane’s destination now known, the question shifts to how effective he will be post-surgery on the ice.
Even while hampered by hip issues the past few years, Kane remained fairly productive, albeit not at the same level as he was during his career’s peak. He tallied 45 points in 54 games with the Hawks and then 18 points in 26 games (regular and postseason combined) with the Rangers last season.
The history of NHL players returning from hip resurfacing surgeries isn’t encouraging, though.
Capitals star Nicklas Backstrom underwent the same operation in June 2022, returned to action in January 2023 and lasted only 47 games before stepping away from hockey again earlier this month. Former NHL players Carl Hagelin, Ryan Kesler and Ed Jovanovski were each unable to significantly restart their careers after hip resurfacing surgeries, as well.
But Kane’s resilience and talent are well-established, and his agency released several videos of his training over the past few months in which it appeared he hasn’t lost any agility or speed. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him reestablish himself as a top-six forward.
