Patrick Kane’s admission after Red Wings exit suggests Dylan Larkin’s trade request played a role

Patrick Kane is ready for a new chapter in the NHL, even if it’s back where it all started. As many fans believe Kane’s decision to leave the Detroit Red Wings was a direct result of Dylan Larkin requesting a trade, “Showtime” hasn’t confirmed that, but he may not have to. His latest admission seems to point in that direction.

Although the Red Wings are still processing the fact that Larkin wants out and Kane is gone, they can’t ignore the ticking clock ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season. Truth be told, that’s much easier said than done. On top of that, Kane’s media tour after returning to Chicago has only made things more difficult for Detroit, which may have just learned an uncomfortable truth about his departure.

“At the end of the season I thought I’d be going back to Detroit,” Kane admitted during an interview on Pardon My Take. “You know, things happen, and it’s like let’s just take our time, see what’s out there July 1st.“

Larkin’s trade request likely the last straw

Kane didn’t say it outright, but all signs point to Larkin’s trade request pushing him to test free agency. When Kane said “things happen,” he probably alluded to Larkin’s blunt decision. After three straight seasons in which the Red Wings missed the playoffs, learning that not even the captain believed in the organization’s direction—and wanted out of his home state of Michigan—might have been the final nail in the coffin for Kane’s time in Motor City.

Dylan Larkin #71 of the Detroit Red Wings.

At the end of the day, Kane will turn 38 next season and can’t afford to head into another campaign with low expectations for his team. He has previously explained why he sees potential in Chicago, in comments many believe Kane was taking a shot at the Red Wings with. Whether that was truly his intention, only Kane knows, and it matters little.

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What’s clear is that Kane is convinced returning to the Blackhawks was the right choice and that his time with the Red Wings was nearing its end. He may not have realized it during the season, but Larkin’s trade request might have been what ultimately opened his eyes.

Detroit wouldn’t have paid Kane as much

Kane signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Blackhawks that caught the NHL by surprise. Many see the deal as an overpay on Chicago’s part. The reality, though, is that the Hawks have more than enough cap space to accommodate such a contract and knew that was the easiest way to put the matter to rest and avoid Kane signing elsewhere.

From a pure salary-cap standpoint, the Red Wings could also have paid Kane $8 million per year, but they are in a much different position with their roster, and it wouldn’t have been a wise move on their part. For the Blackhawks, on the other hand, paying Kane that much makes plenty of sense.

Moreover, Detroit gave Kane three consecutive one-year deals, during which he earned a combined $9.75 million. In just one season back in the Windy City, “Showtime” will almost match his career earnings during his entire stint in Motor City.

Couldn’t turn Chicago down

When every moving part is weighed, Kane’s return to Chicago made too much sense. He’s back in a city that adores him, where he has nothing to prove and everything to gain. That was far from his reality in Detroit, where Kane was a fan favorite but could just as easily end up in the media’s meat grinder after every team-wide misstep.

In the City of Big Shoulders, Kane is a walking legend, and he’s set to join a young squad brimming with potential and eager to take the league by storm. In Motor City, on the other hand, the future is uncertain, and the air seems to grow heavier by the minute.