The long wait is finally over: Patrick Kane is a Detroit Red Wing.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion made his decision on Tuesday after months of speculation, and he'll head to Michigan to reunite with Alex DeBrincat in 2023-24.
“BREAKING: Patrick Kane has decided to join the Detroit Red Wings as he returns to the NHL following offseason hip surgery, per sources,” reported The Athletic's Chris Johnston on Tuesday morning. It's a one-year contract for Kane in Detroit, Johnston confirmed.
Kane and DeBrincat previously played together with the Chicago Blackhawks, and the 35-year-old later said it was one of the best linemates he's ever played with. It seems obvious that the two snipers will play together on the same line, with Dylan Larkin centering the potent trio.
Kane's decision months in the making
Where Patrick Kane will sign has been a headline across the National Hockey League since the offseason, when the veteran American delayed his signing after undergoing off-season hip surgery.
Detroit beat out multiple other suitors to earn Kane's services, including his hometown Buffalo Sabres, as well as the Florida Panthers, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs.
After spending his entire career with Chicago and winning three championships in the Windy City, Kane was traded to the New York Rangers at last season's NHL Trade Deadline.
He finished the 2022-23 season with 21 goals and 57 points over 73 games with the two clubs. He added six points in seven postseason contests as the Rangers were beaten in Game 7 by the New Jersey Devils.
Kane underwent hip resurfacing surgery on Jun. 1, and was given a recovery timeline of four-to-six months. Now at the end of November, it seems likely that he could be suiting up for the Red Wings as soon as the end of the week.
A former No. 1 overall pick by the Blackhawks in the 2007 NHL Draft, Kane helped the franchise win Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015, while capturing the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2013. Overall, maybe the greatest American player of all time has scored 451 goals and 1,237 points in 1,180 career games for the Hawks and Rangers.
In 2023-24, Patrick Kane hopes to add to that total with the Detroit Red Wings, as he looks to help the franchise return to the postseason for the first time since 2016.
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