The Detroit Red Wings have officially signed winger Patrick Kane, who will play for the rest of the 2023–24 season, to a one-year contract worth $2.75 million. Since his contract with the New York Rangers expired on July 1, the native of Buffalo, New York, has been a free agent. Over the past two weeks, the bidding war for his services has been widely reported.
Winger Patrick Kane, who will play for the remainder of the 2023–24 season, has officially signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings. The Buffalo, New York native has been a free agent since his deal with the New York Rangers ended on July 1. The bidding battle for his services has been highly publicized over the last two weeks.
What can be anticipated by Red Wings supporters from Patrick Kane in his Hockey Town debut, and what reasonable expectations should be placed on him following a significant surgery?
Will After Surgery He Be The Same?
The quick response is most likely no. Only 37 games were played by Ed Jovanovski, one of the few players to have undergone this same surgery throughout his playing career. Nicklas Backstrom, a legend of the Washington Capitals, underwent this exact operation not too long ago. After a seven-month recuperation period, he even participated in the most of the season. Backstrom will probably retire, though, as he has since taken a leave of absence to consider his hockey career.
The quick response is most likely no. Only 37 games were played by Ed Jovanovski, one of the few players to have undergone this same s
urgery throughout his playing career. Nicklas Backstrom, a legend of the Washington Capitals, underwent this exact operation not too long ago. After a seven-month recuperation period, he even participated in the most of the season. Backstrom will probably retire, though, as he has since taken a leave of absence to consider his hockey career.
Though it’s also important to note that Kane is the best player to have undergone this surgery to far, I think his odds of remaining a top-tier NHL player are slim given the history of past NHL players. With over 1100 games played and over 1000 points, Backstrom has had a remarkable NHL career. However, Kane’s record is unmatched, as he has three Stanley Cup Championships, one league MVP, and over 1200 career points (42nd all-time).
A player with Patrick Kane’s ability and background is capable of exceeding expectations even after undergoing surgery of this scale.
Off-ice Predictions
First and foremost, I would want to recognize that Kane had numerous off-ice problems throughout the years and was a leader of the Chicago Blackhawks when they resolved the Kyle Beach scandal. But I seriously doubt that these problems will have much of an impact on the players in the locker room since Kane’s success aura and pedigree will always come through.
Possibly the greatest American-born hockey player in NHL history, Kane has excelled with USA hockey at both the junior and professional levels. He has participated in 143 career playoff games, scoring 138 points along the way and winning three Stanley Cups as the offensive engine for the Blackhawks dynasty of the early 2010s.
Whether or not he is particularly vocal, I think Red Wings players will love the chance to learn from one of the most successful players in recent NHL history. He has been one of the NHL’s most reliable and bankable stars for the last 15 years, and that matters to a locker room. I expect he will be a respected member of the team immediately.
Expectations when on-ice
Let’s examine Kane’s points-per-game rate over the previous five seasons to see what we can infer. Last year was a pretty significant low by Kane’s standards, though he did still manage to score a respectable amount of points considering how many games he played on that terrible Blackhawks roster.
2018-19: 1.36 PPG
2019-20: 1.2 PPG
2020-21: 1.18 PPG
2021-22: 1.18 PPG
2022-23: 0.78 PPG
Kane is clearly past his prime at 35 years old, and it seems unlikely that he will score a lot of points. If Kane is telling the truth and feels better than he has in years regarding his hip mobility, and if he stays healthy this season, there’s a good chance he can be a dependable offensive option for Detroit.
With the 2011–12 season coming in second at 0.8 points per game, last season marked the lowest point-per-game rate in Kane’s career. As such, the outcome of this season will have a significant impact on how long he plays in the NHL. He may very possibly play for a few more seasons if he recovers from the operation and plays at a high level, leading the Red Wings to the postseason. But Kane’s career may come to an end if he is unable to regain his NHL speed this year.
Being one of the greatest playmakers in NHL history, Kane will still be a valuable asset on the powerplay even if his movement is restricted. Along with that, he already had a good rapport with Alex DeBrincat, an offseason addition who gained a lot from Kane’s playmaking early in his Blackhawks career.
While Kane has never been much of a factor defensively throughout his NHL career, I still think he will provide some help on offense due to his vision and hockey sense. I expect he will put up roughly 40 points over Detroit’s final 60ish games in pretty sheltered even strength minutes and a ton of power play time.
A player of Kane’s caliber may score even more, maybe pushing 55 points or more, if he is genuinely better off than he was even the previous season, but it would be unrealistic to assume that as soon as he returns from such an invasive surgery.
Minimal Risk Signing With Huge Potential
All things considered, the Red Wings are taking a very low-risk gamble with this deal because it will not be on the books come summer and they will still be able to give Lucas Raymond or Moritz Seider huge extensions.
After undergoing such a major operation, I don’t think Kane will ever be completely himself again, but I do believe it’s realistic to believe he can contribute in a moderate way. Kane will not be in the lineup for Detroit for the next few games while he adjusts to the team’s procedures, facilities, new teammates, and the tempo of real NHL practices. However, he should be back in the lineup in about a week.
