The Detroit Red Wings took a chance on veteran forward Patrick Kane in 2023-24. Kane did not sign with a team during the summer of 2023 as he rehabbed a hip injury. The future Hall of Famer elected to join former Chicago Blackhawks teammate Alex DeBrincat in Hockeytown as his rehab neared its end.
The decision to bring Kane into the fold worked out for both sides. He led the Red Wings to a 91-point season in 2023-24, their best since their nine-season playoff drought began in 2017. Across 122 games over the last two seasons, Kane has scored 41 goals and 106 points.
The future Hall of Famer is a free agent once again. His 2024-25 season was mostly successful, though there were some hiccups along the way. The 36-year-old Buffalo native is not considering retirement, though. He is still highly motivated to contribute on the ice.
“I still love the game,” Kane said April 19 during his end-of-season media availability, via the official Red Wings website. “It’s my life. It’s what I want to do, what I think about every day. Whether it’s how I take care of my body, how I take care of myself, what I want to do this summer, how I want to train and what I want to look like on the ice next year. The game-to-game preparation, I love all that stuff and I’m not thinking about stopping anytime soon.”
Red Wings & Patrick Kane Have Mutual Interest
GettyThe Red Wings and Patrick Kane want to negotiate a new contract (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images).
Kane is motivated to continue his career. However, where he will continue his career remains to be seen. He is a free agent this summer as the one-year contract he signed last offseason expires on July 1.
There are certainly a number of teams who could entice Kane out of Hockeytown. Some of those teams offer a more immediate chance for the future Hall of Famer to chase his fourth Stanley Cup. However, Kane did not rule out another deal with Detroit this summer.
“I’ll definitely take some time to think, but overall, I’ve really enjoyed my time here,” Kane said. “I think it’s been a great place for me to continue my career and play. There’s a lot of great things about the organization that have helped me not only with my injury but find a good role within the team and play. I think there’s definitely some mutual interest in coming back and continuing on here, so we’ll see what happens.”
Kane Credits Coaching Change With Season Turnaround
On Boxing Day 2024, the Red Wings made a coaching change. Derek Lalonde was fired after Detroit stumbled near the bottom of the Eastern Conference entering Christmas. Taking over behind the bench was veteran head coach Todd McLellan.
The coaching change undoubtedly helped make Detroit’s season more respectable. A number of players were positively impacted by McLellan’s arrival in Hockeytown. This includes Kane, who scored 45 points in 42 games under the new Detroit bench boss.
“I felt a little bit unlucky at the start of the year, but still just didn’t feel good about my game and where I was at,” said Kane. “After the coaching change, maybe just the style we started playing — a little more aggressive, little bit more connected, all five guys up the ice — I think that really helped me.”
Kane has shown he still has a lot to offer on the ice. His future in Detroit may be a bit unclear despite mutual interest. His future in the NHL, though, is clear as day.
Red Wings’ Patrick Kane Sends Clear Message on His Future