Breaking: What Patrick Kane Said Speaks Volumes About His Future With Detroit

Breaking: What Patrick Kane Said Speaks Volumes About His Future With Detroit

Speaking on Wednesday, Patrick Kane stated that he hadn’t given his future with the Detroit Red Wings any thought.

Does that imply that he is leaving? Patrick Kane spent plenty of time on Wednesday to compliment the Detroit Red Wings when asked about his season thus far.

Everyone received flowers: teammates, coaches, and management. Kane has found the home he has been waiting for in the Motor City after joining as a free agent, with a focus more on fit and playoff contention than money signs.

But is this a season that will last forever, or is it just a short-lived relationship that will come to an end in the upcoming free agent cycle?

I haven’t given it much thought,” Kane remarked. It’s at the back of your mind, of course, and it will eventually come up.

However, for the time being, the focus is primarily on living in the present, being here with this squad, and attempting to make the playoffs. Considering the circumstances I found myself in, arriving and remaining for around three-quarters of the season, I believe that this year is all that it will last until we find out what occurs next.

I’ve only got good things to say about the organization, as I mentioned before. I’m just trying to enjoy the experience for this year and hope that everything works itself out later.

Regardless of whether Kane’s remarks represent a foreshadowing of his eventual resignation or a truthful assessment of his negotiation situation, they tread carefully. Recall his remarks, but don’t dwell on them.

As a longtime celebrity, he is fully aware of the greater corporate machinations within which they operate. Teams are willing to pay a high price for him because he is a valuable player, and he is aware of his value. A player who is almost a point a game even at 35 can command millions more than he does now with the Red Wings.

To further complicate matters, Pat Brisson of CAA, one of the top agents in the industry, is Kane’s representative. This is the same agent that represents Daniel Sprong and Dylan Larkin, the former of whom, despite captaining his own team, took a lengthy time to negotiate his next deal. Players want to retain as much worth as they can at the bargaining table. Many of Brisson’s clients make the most of it.

Detroit might not have the money to meet Kane’s demands. The youthful talents, forward Lucas Raymond and defenseman Moritz Seider, who have the potential to make well over $7 million per, will cost general manager Steve Yzerman millions of dollars. In addition to having cap space, the Red Wings need to add players to fill other places on the roster. Kane is a luxury that teams with rookie contracts can afford. Because of other contracts’ financial constraints and his age and injury history, his price tag could not be as reasonable, and it seems likely that he will only slide from his elite level this season.

Even though Kane openly lauded Detroit, the squad hasn’t lived up to expectations since he joined the fold. With four games remaining in the regular season and a playoff race they have a good chance of losing, the Red Wings are not where they were four years ago—they were 11-7-3 and virtually certain to make the playoffs. Kane’s decision about where to sign was mostly influenced by his desire to make the postseason. His desire to improve the team is what motivated him to lower his asking price. Detroit hasn’t fulfilled its half of the agreement, though.

It happened for a number of reasons, including injuries, puck luck, and inconsistency, but if the Red Wings are not able to qualify for the playoffs with this strong of a team, it will be difficult to convince Kane that they can qualify for the postseason the following year with different players, many of whom are probably still young, in the lineup. Kane doesn’t have time to wait around if he wants to win another Stanley Cup or, more crucially, if he wants to contribute significantly to its victory.

About the playoff chase, Kane remarked, “These are the fun games to play in.” “Being back in the mix has been enjoyable. Naturally, we had a fantastic run in Chicago for a while before things kind of soured for a while. Nevertheless, it was exciting to play in the playoffs again with the Rangers last year, and I’m feeling much better about my body, myself, and my game now that I’m in these big games.

Kane has good cause to remain. With the Red Wings, he has performed admirably, almost contributing one point a game with longtime friend Alex DeBrincat. Given his tight relationship with DeBrincat, who has been in Detroit for a longer period of time, that may also have an impact on his choice. It could be quite the pain to move for the third time in as many seasons. Kane also played junior ball in Ann Arbor with the U.S. National Team Development Program and AAA ball for Honeybaked in Detroit. Many are unaware of Kane’s deeper ties to Detroit.

However, his strongest ties are to Buffalo, the city where he was raised and where he first saw the Sabres play from glass-side seats. Is Kane going to be a prodigal son and go home? The young and developing blue line and the two starting goaltenders in development are two of Buffalo’s fascinating lineup pieces. More experience would be beneficial for the team’s overall offensive depth, and Kane could offer it. This Sabres squad finished just outside the playoffs the previous year; perhaps with a few more changes, it could be ready to contend.

The fact that Kane’s history in Buffalo is nuanced must be taken into account. 2009 saw him enter a guilty plea to charges of disorderly conduct following an alleged attack on a Buffalo taxi driver who had given him a 20-cent shortfall. He was not prosecuted despite allegations that he had sexually assaulted a lady in the Hamburg, New York, suburb where he resided in 2015. When Kane signed with Detroit, these same scandals and poisonous culture problems in Chicago sparked controversy; however, if he signed with his hometown team, they would probably be amplified.

In the end, Kane is the one who will determine his own destiny. Even though he claims to be content with his time in Detroit and the amount of money he can earn in free agency, he has a lot on his mind. With a hip operation only behind him at 35, this could be his final deal. Time and tide wait for no one, even if he is feeling good and scoring points. However, Kane and his remarks are waiting for someone. It was clear on Wednesday that he is not in a rush.

This remedy won’t be implemented until the end of the season, regardless of whether he re-signs with Detroit or becomes a free agent. While the Red Wings are attempting to qualify for the playoffs, it may take some time for them to achieve so.