As much hype as there is surrounding Patrick Kane and his long-awaited, often-only-dreamed-of return to the Chicago Blackhawks, there are also concerns. Some of them are for good reason. Gearing up for the 2026-27 NHL season, head coach Jeff Blashill not only noted just how important “Showtime” will be to the organization and roster, but also issued a confident statement about Kane’s health.
“He feels as good as he has in a long time,” Blashill said about Kane, via the Chicago Sun-Times. “He’s skating well; he’s moving well. Guys that play with their brain first seem to last a long time in this league, and he certainly has.”
Kane hasn’t played a full season since the 2020-21 NHL campaign, which was shortened to 56 games. His last full 82-game season was back in 2017-18, with the Hawks. Since then, he’s missed 71 games (not counting the shortened seasons in 2019-20 and 2020-21).
Considering the Hawks have signed 37-year-old Kane to a two-year, $16 million ($8 million AAV) deal with a total salary of $9 million this season, they will hope to have him available for as many games as possible. And that his production is something to write home about, too.
Patrick Kane is gearing up for his first game back in Chicago.
Good news for the Blackhawks
With the dog days of summer slowly becoming a thing of the past, such a confident message from the coach about the homecoming legend is all fans wanted to hear. Kane is back!
When it’s added to a recent Blackhawks report dismissing concerns around Connor Bedard’s speedy rehab, it looks like the sun is finally coming up for the Blackhawks. It’s been a long time since fans in the Windy City experienced such a feeling.
Blashill on Kane’s role
While Blashill didn’t dive too deep into whether Kane will be handed the C or Bedard will be named captain instead, he did send out a strong message about what Kane’s role will be. Not just on the ice, but off it, too. And perhaps that leadership role behind closed doors will be even more crucial to Chicago’s development.
“[Kane is] going to have a very good impact, and that’s before we start even talking about offensive production,” Blashill commented. “His impact in the locker room, the example and expectation that he sets, how he approaches every single day in terms of reaching for and demanding excellence.”
Tired of being locked away in the NHL’s basement, the young Hawks are ready to kick the door down, but they will need an experienced voice of command to keep them grounded once they get out. That’s where Kane comes in, and why the Blackhawks are paying him the big bucks, even at 37.
