Unfortunately for the Detroit Red Wings, it’s no longer “Showtime” in the Motor City.
Future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane, who had been with the club since signing as a UFA in December 2023, chose to return to the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom he’d spent the bulk of his career and won three Stanley Cup rings.
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Chicago paid handsomely to lure Kane back into the fold, signing him to a salary cap hit of $8 million for the next two seasons, which will likely be the last of his career.
While Kane ending his career where it began is a fitting conclusion, his departure leaves a significant void in the lineup of the Red Wings, who were considered a longshot to return to the playoffs next season even had he re-signed.
But just because the Kane era in Detroit is over, it doesn’t mean that he won’t look back fondly on his playing days wearing the Winged Wheel.
Kane, who spent time in the metro-Detroit area as a youth and was even hosted by the family of former Red Wings forward Pat Verbeek, spoke glowingly about how the organization and the fan base treated him.
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“What can I say about Detroit? I know it’s a huge rival with Chicago, but it was an incredible place to play,” Kane said during his introductory press conference with Chicago on Friday. “The fans were great to me, the team was great. Everyone kind of welcomed me with open arms and really embraced me while I was there. So, great, great experience.”
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Kane, who is good friends with Alex DeBrincat, whom he played with in Chicago and Detroit, appreciated the chance for their young sons to continue their friendship with one another.
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“I got to watch my son kind of grow up a little bit there and make some good friends with Archie DeBrincat, and they had a great relationship,” Kane said. “So, it was fun to watch that kind of evolve.”
Unfortunately for the Red Wings and their fans, they never got to experience Stanley Cup Playoff hockey with Kane in the lineup. While Kane said upon re-signing with Detroit last year that he’d love to skate in playoff hockey at Little Caesars Arena, it wasn’t meant to be.
Patrick Kane Officially Heads Back To Blackhawks
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The Red Wings now own the NHL’s longest postseason drought at 10 years and counting. Captain Dylan Larkin requested a trade out of town, and GM Steve Yzerman recently stepped down from his role.
In April, Kane expressed interest in what would have been a third full season in Detroit, but it’s likely those aforementioned developments played a role in his choosing to continue his career elsewhere.
And while he’ll finish his career as a Blackhawk, he was happy to have played for the Red Wings.
“Obviously, we didn’t get to the playoffs, which is disappointing, but my experience there was great,” Kane said of playing in Detroit.
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