Patrick Kane is back in the place where so many of his biggest NHL moments unfolded, and tonight he’ll do it in a Blackhawks sweater again.
It has been 1,323 days since Kane last wore Chicago’s No. 88, with that final appearance coming on Feb. 21, 2023.
Now the wait is over. He’s set to skate for the Blackhawks at the United Center against the St.
Louis Blues, with Chicago still searching for its first win of the season.
Kane tried to keep the focus on the game after practice Monday, even while acknowledging the weight of the moment.
“Nothing’s going to stop us. We’re going to get the job done,” Kane said after practice on Monday.
“No matter what happens out there, things are going to go our way. All that other stuff’s great.
It’s awesome. It’s emotional for myself, for the fans.
But I think you use that to your advantage, use that for your adrenaline and make sure you come out and play a good game.”
Chicago enters the night at 0-3 after road losses in Buffalo, Vegas and Utah. The most recent setback was a 4-3 loss to the Sabres, a game the Blackhawks let slip away after building a 2-0 lead in the first period and carrying a 3-2 edge into the third.
Oliver Moore, Ryan Donato and Tyler Bertuzzi scored for Chicago in that one, while Spencer Knight made 24 saves. The Blackhawks also played without top defenseman Bowen Byram, who was dealing with a family matter. Byram had spent the previous two-plus seasons in Buffalo before Chicago acquired him in a June trade.
Kane’s return to the United Center is nothing new in one sense. He made three visits there as a member of the Detroit Red Wings, including a first trip back that played out in full “Showtime” fashion.
In that Feb. 25, 2024 game, Kane posted a goal and an assist in Detroit’s 3-2 win. He finished it with a breakaway goal less than two minutes into overtime, then shouted his nickname toward a loud crowd that was not exactly celebrating the homecoming.
Chicago signed Kane to a 2-year, $16 million deal in late July after he spent three-and-a-half seasons away from the Blackhawks, most of that stretch with Detroit.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CT.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Have A Costly Defense Problem Waiting This Offseason
The Blackhawks blue line is heading toward a familiar kind of offseason pressure, with Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel both nearing the end of their entry-level deals. Chicago has invested heavily in young defensemen as part of its rebuild, but the next step is always the tricky one: keeping the core together once those cost-controlled years start to fade. Around the league, other teams have already felt how expensive that stage can get, and recent high-value contracts for defensemen only sharpen the picture for Chicago.
For now, the front office has limited room to maneuver, with just under $1.5 million in cap space making the negotiations even tighter. The Blackhawks will have to sort through the issue this offseason, and it is the kind of decision that can shape a rebuild for years if the timing or the price gets away from them. Detroit is already wrestling with a similar stalemate involving Simon Edvinsson, a reminder that promising young defensemen can quickly become the most delicate part of a teams long-term plan. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Fans Have Every Right To Wonder About Jeff Blashill
Jeff Blashill has already become one of the central figures in the Blackhawks rebuild, with his day-to-day role focused on guiding and developing a young roster that still has plenty of growing to do. For a team trying to climb out of its recent struggles, that part of the job matters. Chicago needs structure, patience and a coach who can help promising players take real steps forward, and Blashill has been tasked with providing exactly that.
Still, the bigger question in Chicago is whether player development is enough. Blashills past as an NHL head coach in Detroit is going to keep coming up as the Blackhawks try to measure his ceiling, and fans are fair to wonder if the resume points to more than steady work with youngsters. The rebuild can survive progress in the short term, but eventually the organization will have to decide whether his track record is the right one for the next stage. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Young Core Delivered On Patrick Kanes Big Night
Patrick Kanes return to the United Center made Monday night feel like more than just the Blackhawks first home game of the season. The building had the sort of early-October buzz that comes with a familiar face back in the fold, and Chicagos young group made sure the night had some substance behind the sentiment. The Blackhawks handled the St. Louis Blues 4-2, getting important minutes and production from a new wave of players the organization is counting on to grow into larger roles.
Sam Rinzel was among the names that stood out in a game where the Blackhawks needed their young core to support the moment, not just watch it happen. Anton Frondell also played a major part in the nights momentum swing, and the result left Chicago with a win that felt useful on multiple levels. For a team trying to balance the nostalgia of Kanes homecoming with the realities of building forward, this was the sort of opener that offered a little of both. [Read more 🡒]