Patrick Kane is going back to Chicago, first reported by Elliotte Friedman.
Kane is signing a two-year deal and will make $8MM annually, which will take him through the 2027-28 season, when Kane will turn 39-years-old, per the Blackhawks press release.
The American veteran is 37 years old, but hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down in terms of NHL production. 57 points in 67 games for the Red Wings last season tallied a $53k cost-per-point on Detroit’s 2025-26 cap hits as he was signed on a one-year deal at $3MM AAV. Earlier this month, Chris Chelios, who appeared on 104.3 The Score, said in speaking to Kane directly that a return to the Chicago Blackhawks was potentially in the mix, as well as signing with the Buffalo Sabres, who were linked to acquire the former first-overall pick from 2007.
“He’s shown on countless occasions that he knows what it takes to win at the highest levels, and we couldn’t be prouder for Patrick to once again call the United Center home and continue to shine in Chicago’s brightest lights,” said Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson via the press release.
The Buffalo, N.Y. native could’ve gone back home to the Sabres, who could have squeezed Kane into their lineup, and he’d have been a much-welcome addition. He’s made the playoffs once in the past four seasons (back with the Rangers in 2022-23, a first-round loss to New Jersey).
After failing to get to the dance with Detroit, he could’ve helped his childhood team, which ideally is a better playoff bet than Chicago, to make a Stanley Cup push in his latter career years.
Despite that path to return to where it all began, he still did, just where his NHL career started. Kane has won almost everything in his hockey career with Chicago. A three-time Stanley Cup Champion in 2010, 2013, and 2015, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2013 on a five-year, $31.5MM ($6.3MM AAV) contract from 2010 to 2015.
He was also a nine-time all-star, along with accolades like a Calder Memorial Trophy win in 2008, an Art Ross Trophy, Hart Memorial Trophy, and Ted Lindsay Award in 2016. He also extended with Chicago for eight-years, making $84MM ($10.5MM AAV) through the 2022-23 season. Among all-time Blackhawks, he ranks second in franchise history in assists (779) and points (1,225) and ranks third in goals (446) and games played (1,161).
Before returning to Chicago, Kane spent his past three contracts with the Detroit Red Wings. Three one-year contracts paid him $2.75MM in 2023-24, $4MM in 2024-25, and $3MM in 2025-26, where he remained a near point-per-game scorer with Detroit, amassing 57 goals for 163 points in 189 games wearing the winged-wheel.
Now, he’ll be rejoining a much-younger Blackhawks team. Defenseman Alex Vlasic, forward Teuvo Teräväinen, and goaltender Arvid Söderblom are the only current Blackhawks who knew Patrick Kane, the teammate, from when he was still in Chicago.
Bringing back Kane now carries the intrigue of the ultimate legendary reunion as the Blackhawks continue to build into their next era. Kane, who was dealt to the Rangers in 2023, never got to play a game with the 2023 first-overall pick, Connor Bedard. In a press scrum captured by Scott Powers of The Athletic, the freshly-signed Bedard said: “I hope so…
I can’t imagine his first game back at the UC, the reaction he’d get and how much juice that would bring not only to our team but our fans as well… You talk about the legacy aspect of it, but as a team, it would make us a way better team. He’s still an amazing player.”
Chicago loves their American legend, and now a great farewell tour is in store. The Blackhawks will have around $5MM in cap space, with Kane taking up 7.69% of the team’s overall cap hit. He is the oldest player on the roster, ahead of 37-year-old defenseman Ian Cole, who Chicago also brought in this offseason, and the second-highest paid player annually, behind Bedard’s $15MM AAV, also signed this offseason.
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