Patrick Kane has been the subject of rumors and speculation for months now. Ever since learning of his targeted return date, many wondered what was next for the future Hall of Famer. Was he going home to play for the Buffalo Sabres? Would he reunite with Alex DeBrincat on the Detroit Red Wings? Could he stick with the New York Rangers? On Tuesday, we got our answer.
Kane has signed a one-year, pro-rated contract with the Red Wings. It's an astonishing move, considering the 35-year-old's status as an icon of the Chicago Blackhawks. Detroit and Chicago had an intense rivalry when the Winged Wheel still played in the Western Conference. A rivalry that Kane knows all too well.
Detroit marks the third Original Six team the future Hall of Famer has joined, as well. That's a fact that didn't escape fans who reacted to the signing on social media when the news broke Tuesday morning.
Jokes aside, this is a fascinating move even beyond the Red Wings-Blackhawks history. So, why don't we take a deeper look at this move from the perspective of Detroit and Kane? Here are the contract grades for the one-year contract signed between the Detroit Red Wings and Patrick Kane on Tuesday.
Patrick Kane joins Red Wings
For Kane, this is a good deal. Detroit has played well so far this season. It hasn't been perfect by any means, but they are 11-7-3 and in a playoff spot. They have also won three of their last four games, with wins over the New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins during that span.
Of course, there is another aspect to this as well. Kane joining Detroit reunites him with former Blackhawks teammate Alex DeBrincat. DeBrincat joined the Red Wings this summer. However, the two played incredibly well together in Chicago. In fact, they were linemates most of the time during the two seasons in which DeBrincat scored 41 goals.
The money isn't much, but Kane has made his money and then some. He gets to prove himself on a team that could make a run at the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And he pairs up with a teammate he has shown great chemistry with in the past. All in all, this is a fantastic deal from his perspective.
Red Wings sign Patrick Kane
From the perspective of the Red Wings, however, it's less straightforward. For one, Detroit has no issue scoring goals. In fact, Detroit entered play Wednesday with the fourth-best goals-for-per-game in the league. Sure, Kane isn't coming in to score goals. He's a playmaker, after all. But offense is the least of the team's worries.
Furthermore, his hip is a concern. I've seen Red Wings fans extremely excited because of the upside, but personally, I can't get to that place. No player that has ever received a hip resurfacing has returned to form after taking the ice again. And that's if they even take the ice again, to begin with.
Kane was a far cry from the player he was even before the hip resurfacing. After this surgery, I fail to see how he moves the needle for this team. Detroit's struggles are on defense and in goal. A 35-year-old Patrick Kane can't play defense and he certainly can't strap on goalie pads. This feels more of a luxury than anything else.
That said, this is only a one-year contract. If Kane gets hurt, they can put him on LTIR and be done with it. But if he can stay healthy, he could certainly prove me wrong and return to form. After all, there's a first for everything, right? Why can't Kane be the first player in league history to bounce back from this procedure?
All in all, there's a lot to like and a lot to dislike. My initial grade falls in the middle of the road here because I ultimately don't see a major bounceback season for the future Hall of Famer. But when looking back, this ultimately depends on which version of the player the Red Wings received.
Grades and final thoughts
Patrick Kane receives high marks for his side of this deal. He reunites with a former teammate that he found incredible success with. And he has a chance to aid a team on the rise in their quest for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Red Wings, meanwhile, get a slightly above-average grade. They have more pressing needs elsewhere, and history dictates he may not even play 50 games. That said, the reward here is undeniable from their perspective.
Patrick Kane grade: A+
Red Wings grade: C+
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