Blackhawks great Patrick Kane signed with the Red Wings on Tuesday after a lengthy bidding period.
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 in the summer.
The Panthers, Stars, his hometown Sabres and several other teams were reportedly also under consideration, but Kane ultimately reunited with former Hawks teammate Alex DeBrincat on a resurgent Wings team that 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 reported.
The move won’t please many Hawks fans who might 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. It was also the Wings against whom Kane scored his 400th career goal during the 2021 season without fans.
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.”
Kane likely will need a few practice days to integrate into the team, making it unlikely that he’ll be in the Wings’ lineup when they host the Hawks on Thursday.
The Wings’ visit to Chicago — the second and final meeting this season — isn’t until Feb. 25, the night of Chris Chelios’ jersey retirement ceremony.
Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has shifted his approach from patiently rebuilding to aggressively adding this year, bringing in Kane, DeBrincat, Shayne Gostisbehere, J.T. Compher, Ben Chiarot, Jeff Petry and James Reimer in a major 2023 spending spree.
With Kane’s destination now known, the question shifts to how effective he will be.
Even while hampered by hip issues the last few years, Kane remained fairly productive, albeit not at the same level he was during his 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.
“Obviously [he] feels good after the surgery, so it’s great he wants another shot at it,” Hawks coach Luke Richardson said. “I wish him all the best.”
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 each were 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 videos of his training over the last few months in which it appeared he hasn’t lost any agility or speed.
