Patrick Kane fires indirect shots at Red Wings organization during Blackhawks press conference
Photo credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Patrick Kane says he picked a team on the rise.
The Chicago Blackhawks signed him for a stretch of season Connor Bedard will not play in.
Kane agreed to a two-year, $16 million contract on July 23, an $8 million annual cap hit that includes a full no-move clause, per NHL.com.
He framed the decision around fit and a playoff push rather than nostalgia, which indirectly feels like he didn't believe Detroit would be a playoff team next season.
"Most importantly, it was about coming to a team where I think I can fit in well. A team that's on the rise...and trying to making the playoffs."
- Patrick Kane
- Patrick Kane
Chicago finished 31st in the NHL in each of the last three seasons, going 29-39-14 last year, so the rise he described is a projection rather than a result.
Bedard had left shoulder surgery on July 8 with a four-month recovery timeline, putting his return around early to mid-November.
That gap is the part almost nobody has priced into this signing.
The first six weeks decide this contract
The 2026-27 season opens September 29, and Chicago starts on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The league expanded to 84 games under the new collective bargaining agreement, adding two divisional games per team.
Chicago could play 18 to 25 games before Bedard returns, in a season where divisional points carry more weight than usual.
Frank Nazar and Anton Frondell inherit heavier minutes down the middle in the meantime, and neither has a full season as a top-six center.
Kane was not signed to ride shotgun on Bedard's wing in March. He was signed to keep the Blackhawks within reach until November.
Chicago just took itself off the deadline board
The full no-move clause is the quiet second story here.
In 2023, Kane's movement protection let him steer his own exit, and Chicago collected futures from the New York Rangers.
This time the protection runs through the 2027-28 season, so if the year sours, Kyle Davidson cannot turn Kane into picks at either of the next two deadlines.
Rival contenders shopping for veteran scoring just lost an obvious name before a game has been played.
Bedard's five-year, $75 million extension already raised the urgency in Chicago.
Kane's contract is the bet that Jeff Blashill's team cannot afford another lost October.
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