The Patrick Kane sweepstakes have finally come to an end, as the three-time Stanley Cup champion signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings.
Kane confirmed the news via his X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday night.
The contract is reportedly worth a prorated $2.75 million.
Kane took his time selecting his next team after undergoing offseason hip resurfacing surgery and ultimately felt the upstart Red Wings were the best fit. Detroit has exceeded expectations in 2023-24, sitting third in the Atlantic Division with 25 points.
Kane is coming off a down season by his standards, recording 21 goals and 57 points in 73 games split between the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers.
With the pickup, the Red Wings reunite the dynamic pairing of Kane and longtime linemate and friend Alex DeBrincat, who joined Detroit over the summer via trade. The pair spent five seasons together with the Blackhawks, during which time Kane was fifth in NHL scoring while DeBrincat was eighth in goals.
Kane had alluded in the past to hoping to reunite with the diminutive sniper, notably last February ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline.
“[I] wish I was still playing with him,” Kane told reporters when asked about the pair’s relationship ahead of a game against the Ottawa Senators, DeBrincat’s team at the time.
As for what the Red Wings can expect from Kane, it seems unlikely that the 2016 Hart Memorial Trophy winner will be returning to his 100-point ways with the Red Wings given his injury history and age. Beyond his relatively modest scoring numbers, the 35-year-old has struggled to drive play in recent years.
Patrick Kane, traded to NYR, is a veteran playmaking winger. His offence is underrated by public xGoal models due to his elite cross-slot passing, although admittedly that has taken a big hit this year. Has been probably the worst defensive forward in the NHL. #NYR pic.twitter.com/R6GzD8RHNZ
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) February 28, 2023
However, given Detroit’s rather slim pickings on the wing in their top-six — they’ve recently turned to Joe Veleno and Michael Rasmussen to flank Dylan Larkin and J.T. Compher, respectively — it seems plausible that Kane could get first crack at finding some chemistry in those spots. Kane should also help boost an already-strong power-play unit that ranks ninth in the NHL and is clicking at over 22%.
In addition to his 2016 Hart Trophy, the Buffalo native’s trophy case is brimming with hardware, including three Stanley Cups with Chicago and a Conn Smythe Trophy in 2013. For his career, Kane has 451 goals and 1,237 points in 1,180 career games.
