Kane’s eight-year contract, signed with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 9, 2014, expired after last season, a contract he ended with the Rangers after being acquired in a three-team trade on February 28 which also involved the Arizona Coyotes. He scored 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 19 games with New York and 45 points (16 goals, 29 assists) in 54 games with Chicago.
Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat played with Kane in Chicago from 2017-22.
“I think he worked hard,” DeBrincat said. “I think if anyone can come back from this operation, it’s him. I think he’s some kind of hockey nerd and thinks about hockey 24/7. I’m sure he spends his free time worrying about whether he’s feeling better and how he’s doing on his own. It’s good to see he’s close to returning and I think he’s missed the game quite a bit.”
Kane is a three-time Stanley Cup winner with the Blackhawks (2010, 2013, 2015). He was voted the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the most valuable player of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs and won the 2015-16 Hart Trophy as NHL MVP when he led the league with 106 points (46 goals, 60 assists) and also won the Art Ross -Trophy. He was also voted winner of the Ted Lindsay Award as Most Outstanding Player by members of the NHL Players’ Association that season and won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year in 2007-08, leading first-year players with 72 points (21 points). led goals, 51 assists).
Kane is second in Blackhawks history with 1,225 points (446 goals, 779 assists) behind Stan Mikita (1,467). With 1,237 NHL points (451 goals, 786 assists), he is second only to Mike Modano (1,374) among U.S.-born players. He was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players at the league’s centennial celebration in 2017.
The Red Wings (11-6-3) have won three straight and are third in the Atlantic Division.
“I think he’s obviously a guy that the other team is worried about and focused on,” DeBrincat said. “He can draw some people in and move the puck, and I think that’s something I had to learn to play with. I don’t think he’s the guy that might make the first play he sees. He’ll hold on to it and then something better usually opens up and then he moves it. His hockey IQ is simply off the charts. It was fun playing with him.”
NHL.com columnist Nicholas J. Cotsonika contributed to this report