Although there was some hope around Detroit that Red Wings star Patrick Kane would be able to return to the lineup before the All-Star break, that no longer seems to be the case. Wings head coach Derek Lalonde confirmed on Tuesday that Kane is not expected to play in the team's final game before the NHL pauses for All-Star festivities in Toronto next weekend.

Kane himself also said that he doesn't expect to suit up when the Wings welcome the Ottawa Senators to Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday night. The club won't be in action again until Feb. 10 when the first-place Vancouver Canucks are in town.

The hope is that the extra rest will allow Showtime to be back to full health on the other side of the break. He hasn't played a game since getting injured early in a 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 14.

Red Wings surging even without Patrick Kane

Red Wings stars Dylan Larkin and Moritz Seider after Jets loss.

Despite Kane's disappointing injury, Detroit continues to play great hockey in the veteran American's absence. The Red Wings have gone 4-2 without him, picking up key victories against Atlantic Division rivals Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning last week. The Wings have improved to 26-18-5, occupying the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference and sitting just two points back of the Bolts for the No. 3 spot in the division.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
A hockey net with the silhouette of a goalie in front of it, defending the net. The net is surrounded by question marks and next to it is the logo for the Detroit Red Wings.

Ben Strauss ·

William Nylander with question marks around him. Auston Matthews with big emoji eyes

Ryan Bologna ·

New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier

Andrew Meyers ·

“With Kane making a strong comeback after offseason hip resurfacing surgery, the saving grace to this injury is that all signs are pointing to it being unrelated to his hip,” wrote Pro Hockey Rumors' Brennan McLain. “However, with Kane making such an unexpectedly impressive return from resurfacing surgery, having to deal with a separate issue could likely lead to some frustration for the veteran forward.”

Undoubtably, Detroit is a better team with Kane in the lineup, and all signs point to him being back to full health on the other side of the All-Star break. The three-time Stanley Cup champion signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract in late November to play in Michigan. The 35-year-old has amassed a very respectable seven goals and nine assists over 19 games.

A former No. 1 overall pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2007, Patrick Kane has 458 goals and 795 assists over 1,199 career games with the Hawks, New York Rangers and Red Wings, winning all three of his championships in The Windy City.