Some things just belong together: peanut butter and jelly; Batman and Robin; Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks.
When the Blackhawks traded their second-all-time point scorer to the New York Rangers at the 2023 trade deadline, things just felt a bit off. When Kane then signed with the Detroit Red Wings — a major rival of the Blackhawks — that summer, things felt way off.
Three years later, order has been restored. Kane is once again a Chicago Blackhawk.
It comes on a two-year deal worth $8 million annually. That’s a significant pay bump from the three one-year contracts he’d signed with the Red Wings, worth $2.75 million, $4 million and $3 million, respectively, but it’s still less than the $10.5 million he made as one of the league’s elite superstars.
Kane leads all Americans in NHL points with 1,400. Among all nationalities, he ranks 24th. He was not on the gold medal-winning Olympics team this year, but he did help Team USA win silver in 2010.
His trophy case also includes:
- Three Stanley Cup rings
- Hart Trophy (MVP)
- Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP)
- Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player)
- Art Ross Trophy (leading scorer in the regular season)
- Calder Trophy (rookie of the year)
- Three first-team All-Star selections
- Two second-team All-Star selections
Passing the torch
Four months after trading Kane, the Blackhawks drafted their next franchise cornerstone, Connor Bedard. Now, the 2023 No. 1 pick is teammates with Kane, the 2007 No. 1 pick.
That should take some of the weight off Bedard’s shoulders.
His entire career, 21-year-old Bedard has been tasked with resurrecting the Blackhawks franchise. He has done a respectable job given the circumstance, but he has never had a bona fide first-line player to team up with.
Kane isn’t the Hart Trophy contender he used to be, but he’s still an efficient scorer at age 37. He’s been in Bedard’s shoes before and he knows how to deal with the pressure. When he was Bedard’s age, he scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal.
One thing Kane has never done is wear a “C” as an NHL captain. He rebuilt the Blackhawks alongside Jonathan Toews, who held that responsibility their entire time together. If the team feels Bedard isn’t ready for that extra responsibility, it’s a no-brainer to give the vacant position to No. 88.
Kane’s second game back in a Blackhawks jersey will be at the Delta Center, as the Utah Mammoth host their divisional opponent in their season opener on Oct. 1.