Call me unrealistic. Call me desperate. Heck, call me pathetic. I don’t care. Patrick Kane should still be a Chicago Blackhawk.
While I disagreed with the decision to trade (and not extend) him last year, I did understand the Blackhawks’ line of thinking. Out with the old, in with the new. And, obviously, they hit the jackpot in terms of winning the lottery for Connor Bedard. The entirety of the dynasty core was already (or nearly) gone. Kane’s deal was up in the summer and he held trade value, granted not a ton.
So Kyle Davidson made the tough decision to move on from the greatest Blackhawk of all-time, setting the stage for a new generation to lead the way. And again, while I didn’t like the decision, the tenants of the argument were sound. The Rangers fizzled out of the playoffs early. Kane had a solid performance in the playoffs, but still looked a little off. Maybe he was about to begin the same decline in production we saw from all the other core members from the Stanley Cup run.
Fast-forward a few months, an offseason hip surgery, and a return to the United Center later, and Kane looks like Showtime again. He missed the first few months of the season, but, since signing with Detroit, he’s registered 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points in 28 games — and he’s currently riding a 9-game point streak. He’s a massive part of why the Red Wings finally look like they’ll take the next step in their rebuild. Kane might be on the back nine of his career, but he’s still got it.
And he’ll be a free agent after this season.
Why The Door Could Be Slightly Cracked Open
Like most Hawks fans, after the team didn’t even entertain the idea of bringing back Kane last offseason, I wrote off any chance at a reunion with the exception of a potential one-day contract in a few years. But earlier this week, and Tab covered it, Elliott Friedman of Sportsnet Canada on his ’32 Thoughts’ podcast had the following to say about a potential Kane & Blackhawks reuniting:
We believed at the end of last year, Chicago had closed the book on that era of Blackhawks. I just wonder if there’s any chance now, after seeing the way that night went, if that could change.
This quote really raised an eyebrow for me. Leaving Chicago was a tough decision for Kane. Heck, he even said this weekend he legitimately took his time about whether or not he’d waive his no-trade clause last season to go to New York. But the Hawks always seemed to be the ones ready to move on. This though, was the first hint that maybe they were changing their tune. It could be pure speculation, but Elliott Friedman is as tied into the NHL as anyone in the business. And he often has Hawks news before anyone as well.
Kane was also asked about it after Sunday’s game and had this to say:
I don’t know. I mean, I guess you never want to say never, but it seems like they’re kind of content going in a different direction and it is what it is.
“But it seems like they’re kind of content.” To me, while I do think Kane is enjoying his time in Detroit, that is by no means closing any doors or denying interest. So if that is indeed the case, why wouldn’t both sides want to try and make something work?
Why The Hawks Should Want Patrick Kane Back
So that’s what leads me to ask, why shouldn’t the Blackhawks want to bring him back? They brought in guys like Nick Foligno to be locker room leaders and lead the way for this young group. While they’ve done a great job, why wouldn’t you want a former first-overall pick who knows exactly what it takes to win in this city?
I know the line of thinking is to let Bedard blaze his own trail. But guess what? Whether Kane is on his right-wing or not, Bedard is going to do that. He’s that damn good. The next part of his development is getting him some high-level talent to play with. I’ve been all about wanting the Hawks to spend big in the short term this offseason to do just that.
Patrick Kane is exactly the kind of player Bedard should be playing with, and he’s a free agent in July. Someone who can play on his level, play with his speed and think on his level with a high hockey IQ. If Kane was over the hill, I get moving on. But he’s not, he can still help this team grow and develop both on and off the ice.
And then let’s get to the fans.
Sunday showed that this fanbase still adores Patrick Kane, and vice versa. The United Center has seen returns or farewells for just about every member of the Stanley Cup core, and none have even come CLOSE to Kane’s. His emotional video package brought tears to several fans, and it forced two curtain calls and a standing ovation that lasted several minutes. When he got the puck all alone at center ice in overtime, you could feel the energy in the building. Everyone knew what was about to happen, and everyone wanted it to happen.
It was just like old times: Kane called game and the United Center went nuts.
The Blackhawks are a franchise that plays to nostalgia and puts on an event as well as any franchise in sports. Bringing back Kane for one more run allows them to do that. Kane was honored for his 1,000th game as a Blackhawk. He was honored for his 1,000th point as a Blackhawk. Fans went nuts and showed out for both celebrations. As of this writing, in Blackhawks franchise history he ranks:
- Third in Games Played
- Second in Assists
- Third in Goals
- Second in Points
- Fourth in Game-Winning Goals
While there’s no guarantee he’d break those records, it feels like Kane has a good 3-4 years left to play at a high level given how he looks this year and his style of play. If he spends those seasons as a Blackhawk, he’d need to play 235 games for the most in franchise history and he’d need 242 points to record the most points. Sure, those aren’t guarantees, but those are two more potential epic nights the team could put on for the franchise’s greatest player.
Why Would Patrick Kane Want To Come Back?
Simple. I don’t think he ever really wanted to leave. Kane loved Chicago and Chicago loved him back. Anyone who’s been around Kane knows he’s in love with hockey, and that hockey history matters to him. I think part of that is why he’s only chosen to go to Original Six teams. No one can convince me that in Kane’s heart of hearts, he doesn’t want to have his name at the top of the list of Blackhawks franchise records. I think he just knew the writing was on the wall and took the next-best option.
Yes, he wants to win, too. But there’s no reason why he can’t be part of that here toward the end of his career and still play a meaningful role. If winning was all that mattered to him, he wouldn’t have inked a one-year deal with a fringe playoff team in Detroit. It’s the total package that matters to Kane, and that’s something the Hawks can still provide.
Maybe nothing has changed with the Blackhawks front office and their desire to let Bedard do his own thing and write his own chapter. Maybe Kane does want to chase Cups for the next few years, and if that’s what he wants no one can blame him. He owes absolutely nothing to the city of Chicago, and Hawks fans can never repay him for all he’s done.
But after Sunday, after all that emotion from both Kane and the fans. After that reaction. After Friedman gave the first indication that the organization might be open to it. After how Kane still looks. I can’t help but hold out hope, no matter how unlikely it may be, that the prodigal son could return and finish his career where he belongs – in Chicago.