Kane trying to cherish games at United Center before deadline originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Blackhawks returned from their bye week and NHL All-Star break with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, but it was a pretty decent overall performance. And I thought Patrick Kane had one of his better games of the season, too.
Kane recorded a primary assist on Jason Dickinson’s goal to extend his point streak to four games, and he easily could’ve had a few more. He was creating chances all night, and you just knew he wanted to put on a show for Chicago fans with only four home games left until the March 3 trade deadline.
Kane hasn’t made a decision yet one way or another about his future, but he did acknowledge before the game on Tuesday that he’ll savor these final games at the United Center leading up to the deadline, just in case.
“Yeah, for sure,” Kane said. “It’s exciting to play in front of this crowd. I think you’ll probably cherish these five games a little bit more before the deadline just not knowing what’s going to happen. It’s always exciting playing at home.
“I’ve always loved playing at the United Center in front of the crowd here. You kind of wish you had a little bit more time here this month, but it is what it is, so cherish all these games.”
Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson may not know exactly what Kane and Jonathan Toews might be going through, but was a player and understands the business side of things. His job is to make sure Kane and Toews are in the right mindset as they navigate a challenging situation.
“Both Patrick and Jonathan are pretty quiet and stoic,” Richardson said. “They’re 100 percent professional, they come out and play every day. I wouldn’t know if anything’s weighing on their minds. It’s none of my business. I’m here for them and they know that. Any time, the door’s open.
“They have their staff and family that looks after their personal and business part of hockey. I’m just worried about the hockey part. When it comes to the later part of your career, you’re always trying to talk yourself into playing your best, being your best, because you never know when it’s going to be over, whether it’s total career or in that particular organization. You become a little more conscious and aware and don’t take it for granted.
“As a young guy, you think you’re going to be in this league forever and it’ll go on forever and it really doesn’t and it goes by fast. They’re probably at that stage where it’s gone by fast, they’ve accomplished a lot and they should be proud of it. I’m sure, if I was playing as a player in this organization, every time I stepped on this ice and that national anthem, I’d be pretty excited. I think that brings you back to life and realize where you are at that moment and I think they’ll enjoy that.”
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