Could a Patrick Kane Blackhawks Reunion Be in the Cards This Offseason?

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman spoke glowingly of Kane in his season-ending press conference, stating “He was great for our team, and I think he brought a lot of what I guess they call swag.”

However, when Yzerman spoke of the number of pending free agents the Red Wings have, he was open to bringing Kane back but was also non-committal. Regarding salary cap implications, Yzerman referred to it as a "puzzle."

So where does that leave Patrick Kane in the mix? The more you dive into where Detroit is heading and what Kane wants, the more you can see that those two paths don't exactly line up. Kane spoke about wanting "term" in his next deal.

"I mean obviously, I think from being in Chicago for so long, and then going to New York, coming to Detroit, maybe looking for, like, a little bit more stability as far as like, term. But I think the right situation matters too,” Kane stated.

Term could certainly be what keeps Kane from returning to the Motor City. When Detroit re-signs Raymond and Seider to what should be sizable raises this offseason, their salary cap will become significantly tighter. The team also has some needs on the back end to address.

Kane mentioned potentially wanting to play until the age of 40. With that in mind, one could probably deduce that Kane, who will be 36 next season, could be looking for a three- or four-year deal in free agency. Would Detroit be willing to dish out a deal of that nature to someone of that age on a medically repaired hip? That remains to be seen, but it doesn't seem all that likely.

If Kane decides to test free agency and leave Detroit, he'd likely have no shortage of options. Every contending team would love to add a three-time Stanley Cup champion who just played at nearly a point-per-game level the prior season.

However, how many of those contenders would be willing or able to offer Kane the "term" he is seeking? Several contenders would likely have a very difficult time working a contract of that nature into their salary cap and could end up hand-cuffing themselves down the road.

With that in mind, if Kane does seek a three- or four-year deal, his options could significantly dwindle. That could leave him looking to go to an up-and-coming team that has a lot of salary cap flexibility.

Enter the Chicago Blackhawks.

General manager Kyle Davidson seems to have closed the book on the story of Patrick Kane in Chicago. Although, with the way the 2023-24 season unfolded for the Blackhawks, could Davidson change his tone?

“We want to take the next step here and progress,” Davidson said. “We don’t want to finish where we finished this year moving forward. That’s not what we’re looking to do anymore. It’s something we’re going to be conscious of moving forward. Hopefully we can see a little more success and some positive steps in the standings and on the ice here moving forward.”

Head coach Luke Richardson spoke of his desire for the team to add a top-six forward to the mix to potentially play alongside Connor Bedard.

“I think obviously adding to that role, top line, top six, I think that would be great for our organization to get to that."

Take the history out of the equation. What available winger, at a reasonable salary cap figure is out there that would be a better fit to play alongside Bedard than Patrick Kane? If you try to find one, you might be waiting a while.

If Davidson is willing to take a step back and reassess the Kane situation, a reunion might end up making a lot of sense for both sides. Obviously, there would be a lot to work out and contemplate on both sides, but it's certainly something that the Blackhawks would be foolish not to at least consider.

For Kane, this could be the perfect ending to his career. He could return to Chicago and help usher in the future of the Blackhawks while taking down all of the team records he previously sought to take over.

It never seemed like Kane wanted to leave Chicago in the first place. He bought a $5 million home in Lake Forest just a few months before being traded from Chicago to the New York Rangers in 2023. Does that sound like someone ready to move on?

Kane wouldn't be returning to the same depleted, going-nowhere Blackhawks team he left, either. Davidson's rebuild is starting to show a lot of potential. Kane could come right in and help take these young players to the next level.

Bedard appears to be destined for sure stardom. Kevin Korchinski and Alex Vlasic showed early signs of being strong pieces on the blue line. Frank Nazar, while in a very small sample size, looked to be a real difference-maker in the three games he played at the season's end after a strong run at Michigan. The Blackhawks also have the second-best odds of acquiring the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL Draft this year.

Veterans Seth Jones and Nick Foligno have taken large steps in being leaders for this young team, just as Davidson envisioned. However, as great as those two are, make no mistake, they aren't Patrick Kane. A player like Kane can only elevate those around him.

Call it a pipe dream or call it thinking with your heart, but when you dive into the paths that Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks are about to go down this summer, you can make the argument that they may lead directly to one another. Remember, sometimes to move forward, you have to go back.