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After a long debate, the waiting is over. The greatest American-born hockey player of all time will be calling Detroit home for at least the next year.
(Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con)
After a long back and forth and multiple rumors swirling linking Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings and Florida Panthers, Detroit came out on top when they inked Kane to a one-year, $2.75 million deal.
Kane is six months removed from hip resurfacing surgery, a procedure that was very necessary as he painstakingly labored his way through the 2022-23 season, although he still managed 21 goals and 36 points in 73 games between the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers.
Obviously, the huge question surrounding Kane is: can he be productive after his surgery? Kane is 35 years old and is well into the twilight of his hall of fame career. He's joining a Red Wings squad that's having a great year. Detroit is in third place in the Atlantic Division behind the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers, and they're also fourth in the NHL in goals per game, so carrying the offense will not solely be on Patrick Kane coming into his new situation.
If you're a hockey fan, then you're excited to see what Patrick Kane can do in Detroit. If he doesn't work out, then it's not that big of a deal. $2.75 million isn't a huge number for an NHL team to drop on an experiment. It's a low risk, high reward move for Detroit. It seems as if Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman is looking to pull out all the stops as his team looks to make it back to the playoffs after a lengthy rebuild.