One of the most pressing questions for the Detroit Red Wings this offseason was whether they’d be able to bring back future Hall of Fame winger Patrick Kane.
The Buffalo native, who turns 38 in November, is still a near point-per-game player, and the Red Wings couldn’t afford to lose any more offense from a unit that finished with the 11th-worst scoring output in the NHL this past season.
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The homecoming many expected, however, didn’t play out in Detroit’s favor. The Chicago Blackhawks instead offered Kane a two-year, $16 million deal carrying an $8 million cap hit, and he took it, returning to the franchise where he built the bulk of his Hall of Fame resume.
Few fans were upset with the decision, especially once the dollar figure became public. Some were downright stunned by Chicago’s willingness to hand a three-time Stanley Cup champion that kind of money on the back end of his career.
Kane’s $8 million cap hit lands just a shade below what Detroit stars Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider carry on their own deals, while coming in above the cap hit of notable linemate Alex DeBrincat.
There was little chance the Red Wings were ever going to match that kind of offer, and the Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta made clear just how surprised he was by the number on a recent episode of Daily Faceoff’s “The Sheet” podcast.
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Pagnotta explained he did a triple take when the figure came across, adding that it wasn’t as if Chicago lacked the cap space to make it work. He also said he had heard Kane was offered something closer to $5 million before the Blackhawks ultimately decided to sweeten the pot to ensure their longtime winger made his way back to the Windy City.
Detroit, meanwhile, never came close to that range as Kane’s salary with the Red Wings topped out at $4 million across three one-year deals from 2023 through 2026, during which he remained a highly productive scorer, totaling 57 goals and 163 points in 189 games.
Chicago’s willingness to more than double that price tag underscores just how much value the Blackhawks are placing on Kane’s return, particularly with top center Connor Bedard expected to open next season on the shelf following offseason shoulder surgery.
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Selected first overall by the Blackhawks in the 2007 NHL Draft, Kane spent the first 17 seasons of his career with the franchise, winning three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015 along with the Calder Trophy, the Conn Smythe Trophy, the Art Ross Trophy, the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award.
In 1,161 games with Chicago, Kane recorded 446 goals and 779 assists for 1,225 points, numbers that rank him third in franchise history in goals and second in both assists and points.
Kane was one of the more reliable playmakers left on the Red Wings roster that struggled to generate offense last season, and his departure leaves the team searching for more answers up front as they continue chasing their first playoff berth in a decade.
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