It’s been almost 16 months now since one of the most somber days in franchise history – the day Blackhawks icon Patrick Kane was traded to the New York Rangers. Since that fateful day last February, nearly every fan and media member has said their piece about why and how Kane will (or won’t) be reunited with the team he spent 16 years with.
For their part, the Blackhawks have mostly put any such rumors to bed in the past. GM Kyle Davidson has emphasized over and over that he wants to build his team’s leadership from the ground up, allowing players like Connor Bedard to come into their own, with the 18-year-old eventually expected to serve as the team’s captain. The young players need space and ice time to grow, and Kane and Jonathan Toews were hindrances to their development. Chicago had done such a great job of shutting down rumors of Kane’s return that they almost died out altogether.
Almost.
On Thursday morning, insider Scott Powers of the Athletic included in his mailbag an update on the Blackhawks’ strategy regarding Kane and his pending free agency. His notes were a bit different than what Chicago has said in the past.
“I’ve heard enough in the past few weeks to believe that the Blackhawks are going to at least internally discuss whether to re-sign Kane. The answer may not change, but I do think it’s an agenda item as they lead up to free agency.”
– Scott Powers, The Athletic
The idea of Kane wearing a Blackhawks jersey again is enough to warm the heart of any fan, especially one who witnessed his legendary run while bringing three championships to Chicago in the early 2010s. He’s still immensely talented, and while he isn’t the Hart Trophy winner he used to be, Kane would still make Chicago a much better team next season.
But even though signing Kane could be discussed by the Blackhawks front office, that’s far from a deal announcement. It seems at this point, while there’s obviously a new buzz between the two parties, the answer still hasn’t changed. It’s easy to see why it’s a possibility, as the Blackhawks could accomplish their goal of maintaining long-term cap flexibility by signing him to a short deal and are well-positioned with almost $34 million in cap space.
However, Chicago has made it clear that this situation isn’t about their cap situation or whether they “can” pull it off; rather, that they shouldn’t. The team likes the developing tandem of Bedard and Philipp Kurashev, one that would likely be split up if Kane was signed. Plus, on the sentimental side, the fan base has already said its emotional goodbyes. Bringing their franchise player back for a farewell tour would simply be salt in the wound.
The report isn’t exactly a contract announcement, but could that be in the works? It’s unlikely. The Blackhawks are doing their due diligence on the biggest name to hit the free-agent market this summer, but bringing him back at this point would be a true head-scratcher.
