Kyle Davidson has a lot on his plate this summer as they look to take a big step forward in the Connor Bedard era, but could the team bring back a franchise legend?
Last month, Scott Powers of The Athletic shared that Patrick Kane, who played the entirety of the 2022�23 season in New York with the Red Wings, and the entire 2023�24 season in Detroit, would be the subject of internal talks with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Ben Pope questioned Kyle Davidson at his Friday press conference at the NHL Draft Combine about the team's potential reunion with franchise legend Patrick Kane.
Although Davidson stated that the team was pleased with his successful season with the Red Wings, he does not believe the team would reverse the difficult decision they took to part ways with Patrick Kane. Put differently, Patrick Kane won't be joining the Chicago Blackhawks again this summer.
Kane, 35, signed with Detroit in November 2023 after recovering from off-season hip surgery. He went on to appear in 50 games this season, putting up 47 points (20 goals, 27 assists), 16 penalty minutes and a minus-five.
Although Chicago Blackhawks supporters may be a little disappointed by this news, it's unquestionably the right decision. Since the Blackhawks are now Connor Bedard's squad, they must continue their rebuild. Kyle Davidson will probably look to additional free agents to help the team in the scoring department; one possibility is Jake Guentzel.
POLL | ||
Do you think not reuniting with Kane this summer is the right call by Kyle Davidson? | ||
Yes, it's time to move forward with Bedard era | 89 | 59.7 % |
No, they should bring him back for 1 year | 44 | 29.5 % |
Unsure | 16 | 10.7 % |
List of polls |