Patrick Kane’s absence is about to end.
After sitting out the last three games with an upper-body injury, the South Buffalo native is expected back in the Chicago Blackhawks’ lineup Thursday night against the Buffalo Sabres at United Center, with puck drop set for 8 p.m. on MSG.
Kane said it has been a frustrating stretch to miss.
“It’s never fun missing games, right?” Kane said. “It was three, 1½ games and it feels like it’s been a month so I’m excited to get back.”
The Blackhawks have been dealing with a rough season overall, and Kane’s return comes as the team tries to steady itself after a 3-0 loss to Colorado on Nov. 2 and a 5-4 defeat at Carolina on Saturday. Chicago is 2-10-1 and 31st in the NHL standings.
The only changes since the Carolina game are the return of Kane and the addition of assistant GM and former NHL defenseman Mark Eaton as a development and defensive assistant coach.
Kane said the team believes there’s still enough talent in the room to make things work.
“I feel like there’s times in games we were doing some good things,” Kane said. “The potential, the opportunity and the capability is there to do it as a team.
It’s just a tough league. You play Colorado, Florida, Tampa and Carolina and don’t have a full lineup and it’s tough.
“You play Colorado, Florida, Tampa and Carolina and don’t have a full lineup and it’s tough.”
Chicago’s only lineup tweak from the Carolina game is the return of Kane and the addition of assistant GM and former NHL defenseman Mark Eaton as a development and defensive assistant coach.
Kane was also asked about the Sabres’ offer from the summer to return to the Wawillion contract, but he has struggled with one goal and eight assists in this season and is on a career-long 12-game scoring drought without a goal. He scored on opening night at Vegas and has not tallied since.
In Other News...
Sabres Suddenly Face A Bigger Problem Than One Bad Loss
The Sabres latest stumble against Tampa Bay did more than add another loss to the ledger. It sharpened the questions already hanging over a team that has been trying to find some consistency, with Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson both pointing to the need for sharper play across the board. When a game ends with the kind of defensive breakdowns, shaky goaltending and special-teams issues Buffalo has been dealing with, it becomes less about one bad night and more about a pattern the club has to confront.
Thompson still gave Buffalo something to build on with his offensive work, and he remains on pace for a strong scoring season. But the bigger concern for the Sabres is whether that production can matter if the rest of the lineup keeps leaving them exposed. The grades from the game reflected that imbalance, and for a team trying to climb out of its own way, the margin for these kinds of losses is getting thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Loss To Tampa Exposed A Problem Fans Wont Ignore
The Sabres latest trip through Tampa Bay turned into one of those nights that can linger long after the final horn. The Lightning jumped out fast with four goals, Buffalo briefly steadied itself by scoring three straight to make things interesting, and then the game slipped away again in a way that felt all too familiar for a team still trying to find consistency in its own end.
Nikita Kucherov was at the center of the damage for Tampa Bay, and the sequence that followed Buffalos push only sharpened the frustration. After the Sabres allowed a goal on a backhand shot, the response on the bench said plenty about how the night was unfolding, and it left another reminder of how quickly a game can tilt when the margin for error disappears. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Have A Tough Choice If Penguins Start Selling
If the Penguins decide to move veterans, Buffalo could have real reason to pay attention. Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell both fit the kind of forward help the Sabres have been looking for, and either one would bring a different layer to a group that could use more proven scoring and playoff experience. Rust has long been valued for his all-around game, while Rakell has remained a name to watch in trade chatter because of what he can still provide offensively.
The fit is easy to see from Buffalos side, but the timing is complicated by what Pittsburgh does next. Rusts injury situation and Rakells recent surge only add to the intrigue, because the Penguins may not be in a hurry to make anything simple. For the Sabres, the question is whether they can strike if the market opens, and whether the price for that kind of upgrade becomes worth paying. [Read more 🡒]