Patrick Kane Could Rejoin Former Team as Free Agent

Patrick Kane has had an eventful year since being traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the New York Rangers on February 28, 2023, just before the trade deadline.

A future Hall-of-Famer, Kane ranks 38th all-time in points with 1,284 in 1,230 games, second only to Stan Mikita in Blackhawks history. He even scored in overtime against the Blackhawks last February.

Kane's eight-year, $84 million contract with Chicago expired after the 2022-23 season. He joined the Rangers for the playoffs in 2023, but they were eliminated in the first round. This extended his streak of first-round exits to nine years, including the 2023-24 season.

The Rangers couldn't afford to keep Kane, and he couldn't sign anywhere else until he nearly recovered from hip resurfacing surgery in the 2023 offseason.

Kane eventually signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings on November 28, 2023. The 35-year-old forward bounced back with 20 goals and 27 assists in 50 games last season, showing flashes of his old self.

However, the Red Wings narrowly missed the playoffs, falling short on the final day of the regular season.

Kane, known as "Showtime," clearly misses deep postseason runs, having reached the Western Conference Final or further with the Blackhawks five times between 2009 and 2015.