Patrick Kane is a franchise legend for the Chicago Blackhawks. It was a sad day in 2023 when Chicago traded Kane to the New York Rangers. Kane has since gone on to play for the Detroit Red Wings. He is set to be a free agent, which has caused some to wonder if the Blackhawks would consider bringing back the living legend.
Unfortunately, Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson threw cold water on this possibility. In a recent interview, Davidson dismissed the idea of bringing Kane back to Chicago.
“I think we made some really tough decisions on some longstanding players,” Davidson said, according to Scott Powers of The Athletic. “I don’t foresee us going back on that.”
This is unfortunate news for Chicago fans who wanted to see Patrick Kane and Connor Bedard on the same team.
It is also unfortunate because it seemed like a possibility weeks ago. Powers previously shared that he thought Chicago would consider bringing Kane back in free agency.
“There were a few variations of this question, so let’s get to it. To begin with, I was confident the Blackhawks were going to trade Patrick Kane last season. I was confident they weren’t going to re-sign him last summer. Up until a few weeks ago, I was confident Kane wouldn’t be returning to the Blackhawks next season,” Powers said in an article in late May. “But, now, I’m not so confident about what’s going to happen. I’ve heard enough in the past few weeks to believe that the Blackhawks are going to at least internally discuss whether to re-sign Kane. The answer may not change, but I do think it’s an agenda item as they lead up to free agency.”
Here's hoping that Davidson and the Blackhawks change their minds.
Previewing the 2024 NHL offseason for the Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks have a lot of work ahead of them. Now is the time to start surrounding young superstar Connor Bedard with talent.
Chicago won't be turning itself into a contender in one offseason, so they should focus on the long-term prospects of the team. Reloading their prospects pool and adding short-term veteran leadership could be smart moves for the Blackhawks.
One tantalizing offseason rumor surrounding Chicago is the possibility of the Blackhawks pursuing Jake Guentzel in free agency.
“Guentzel is a midwest guy,” Friedman said, per Bleacher Nation's Tab Bamford. “Chicago is a midwest location. (The Blackhawks) realize they have to move things forward and they have to begin surrounding (Connor) Bedard with some players. I’m going with Chicago because of the proximity to where Guentzel is from.”
This would be a tempting option for Chicago. However, this is no sure thing as Guentzel has not ruled out a return to the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Blackhawks also have the opportunity to add some foundational players in the 2024 NHL Draft. Chicago has two first-round picks (2nd and 18th overall) who can join the team as long-term building blocks next to Connor Bedard.
Mock drafters believe that Chicago will select their favorite player in the draft not named Macklin Celebrini with the second overall pick. This is likely to be either Artyom Levshunov or Anton Silayev.
It will be exciting to see how the Blackhawks approach the next phase of their rebuild this summer.
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