The Chicago Blackhawks need to help Connor Bedard, and Patrick Kane can do just that.
Detroit Red Wings v Chicago Blackhawks / Patrick McDermott/GettyImages
The Chicago Blackhawks are trying to speed up the rebuild, the best way to do that might be through a familiar face.
The Blackhawks have money to spend this offseason. With well over $30 million in cap space, the Blackhawks will be spending big during free agency. Of all the names who could make an impact on their team, Patrick Kane might be the best of the bunch.
Patrick Kane would make the Chicago Blackhawks better. This past season the former Hawk put up 47 points in 50 games with the Detroit Red Wings.
Kane has bounced back after offseason surgery to fix his hip. He looked like his old self last season, his first outside of Chicago.
Kyle Davidson addressed the media in early June during the NHL Scouting Combine. During the event Davidson was asked about the team potentially bringing back Patrick Kane.
“He did have a really good year. I think we’re all really happy to see that after having his hip procedure last offseason. That was great to see. I think we made some really tough decisions on some longstanding players. I don’t foresee us going back on that.”
The frustrating element of this has to do with the fact that Kane is the best possible option out there for the Hawks.
Connor Bedard had a fine rookie season. In his first year in the NHL, Bedard registered 61 points in 68 games. The 2023 first overall pick had high expectations on him this past season, and for the most part he rose to the occasion.
Bedard put up numbers, despite having little star power on his lines to make him better. That is where Kane could come in.
The Blackhawks might not deem signing Patrick Kane necessary, but he is necessary for a player like Bedard. Bedard could learn from the very best to ever where the Blackhawks uniform should the team bring back Kane. Someone who has been in the same position as a first overall pick in a city like Chicago.
There is some star power available for the Blackhawks during free agency, but few have a resume like Patrick Kane. Few have the experience he can offer to Bedard. While it might be hard to go back on a past tough decision like moving on from Kane, not bringing him back because of that when he can help the team seems like the wrong decision.