The Detroit Red Wings have signed forward Patrick Kane to a 1-year deal worth up to $6.5 million according to Elliotte Friedman. Kane has become a bit of a journeyman over the past couple of seasons after spending the first 16 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. After being traded to the New York Rangers during the 2023-24 season, he signed a one-year contract with the Red Wings last November. Now he’s returning to Detroit for the upcoming season.
Legendary Winger
Kane is rapidly approaching his 36th birthday, which is something teams certainly take into consideration when negotiating with a player. But despite his age, he’s still performing at a high level. Last season with the Red Wings, he scored 20 goals and added 27 assists for 47 points in 50 games, just below the point-per-game mark. He also did that coming off of a hip injury that many feared may limit his ability moving forward. He seemed to be the same player that we saw in Chicago, but he is starting to slow down a bit.
As a former Hart and Conn Smythe Trophy winner, and of course three-time Stanley Cup champion, it’s hard to understate the value that Kane would bring to any locker room. He’s a true superstar in every sense of the word, regardless of his age. Over the 1,230 games he’s played in the NHL, Kane has amassed 471 goals, and 813 assists and currently sits with a total of 1,284 points. He’s the type of player who would improve any team in the NHL. His offensive skill has been near the top of the league since he arrived during the 2007-08 season and it seems like he’s far from done.
Kane’s Fit in Detroit
We’ve already seen that Kane fits in fairly well with the Red Wings, as he demonstrated with his near-point-per-game pace this past season. The fact that he finished sixth on the team in points while only playing in 50 games, shows the impact he had while on the ice. Detroit has a very talented forward group, and having a veteran like Kane alongside players like Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin and a youngster like Lucas Raymond will only be a good thing for the Red Wings moving forward.
Related: 2024 NHL Free Agency Tracker
We aren’t going to have many more opportunities to see Kane play in the NHL as once a player hits the age of 35 things can be unpredictable. However, Red Wings fans will get another opportunity to see him don the Winged Wheel during the 2024-25 season.
