Patrick Kane set to make season debut Thursday with Red Wings originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane is set to make his debut with the Red Wings after signing a one-year deal with his former rivals.
Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde told reporters Wednesday that he expects the newly signed veteran to play Thursday night at home against the San Jose Sharks.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion and former Hart Trophy winner signed a one-year $2.75 million deal with the Red Wings on Nov. 28, almost six months after undergoing hip resurfacing surgery.
“The season ended right around May 1, and it took us a good month to figure out what to do,” Kane told NBC Sports Chicago’s Blackhawks Insider Charlie Roumeliotis. “We wanted to make sure we were confident in the decision we were going to go. Decided to go through with the surgery on June 1. It was pretty much the best option for me.”
Kane is shooting to join Ed Jovanovski and Nicklas Backstrom as NHL players to come back from the specialized surgery. The operation involves dislocating the upper end of the thighbone, trimming it, capping it, and removing cartilage before putting it back in place.
“I could’ve maybe done a labrum repair and a scope, but with the wear and tear in the hip, it would’ve maybe given me a year or a year and a half, and I could’ve potentially even had more pain,” Kane said. “It was the right move to do the resurfacing.”
If he returns to the ice on Thursday, this would be Kane’s first time playing with former linemate and teammate Alex DeBrincat since the 2021-22 season.
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