Injury Update: Patrick Kane Says He "Should Be Good to Go After the Break," Re-Affirms Injury not Hip-Related
Patrick Kane speaks for the first time since his injury earlier this month, providing an update on his status
After this morning's Detroit Red Wings practice, Patrick Kane spoke with the media for the first time since being injured on January 14th against the Maple Leafs.
Kane has been skating for close to a week at this point, with coach Derek Lalonde indicating throughout that span that there was at least a chance Kane might lace up for game action prior to the All-Star break.
In addressing the press, Kane alleviated the uncertainty around that possibility by saying that he won't go tomorrow night against the Ottawa Senators but "should be good to go after the break."
After Kane was initially knocked out of action, Lalonde indicated that the injury was not hip-related, an obvious concern after off-season hip resurfacing surgery kept Kane out of action this season until his December debut for the Red Wings.
"Nothing with the hip, which is good," Kane affirmed today. "The hip feels really good to be honest with you. At the same time, it's frustrating when you're feeling good, and something else comes up and shows up. Just try to find the positives in every situation, and maybe it gives me a few weeks to let everything settle down. I think we played 19 games there in a pretty short amount of time, so get some rest, obviously have the break coming up, and should be good to go after that. I don't see any I wouldn't be able to come back after the break."
When asked how his injury would impact the way he would approach the All-Star break and then the Red Wings' bye week, Kane replied, "I think I'll definitely be on the ice before our first practice on the 8th, but at the same time, try to get away a little bit, more of a mental reset than anything. When you're injured, I don't want to say more of a grind, but you're at the rink for a long time, trying to get in everything you can to help speed up the process."
The injury came on just Kane's second shift of the night in Toronto, after a pair of awkward collisions with Pontus Holmberg in short succession.
"It was kind of a flukey play," Kane said. Just kinda get checked into the boards, my back was facing the guy a little bit, but it was nothing you think you would have any problem with...Skating back to the bench and skating on the back-check everything felt fine, just felt something a little bit off on the bench there." He added that he believed it was the first of those collisions, not the second that caused the injury.
Kane has been impressed with what he's seen from his teammates in his absence, noting "I think we'd be a tough out in a seven-game series the way we're playing right now."
Meanwhile, when asked a question about Kane's overall assimilation into the Red Wings' lineup after his late arrival, Lalonde explained that "the frustrating thing about the timing of the injury" is that it came as Kane "was starting to take some ownership of the group, involved in some leadership meetings, a little more vocal during the games...Absolute pro, his demeanor, his approach have been great, and I think very valuable for the group."
Kane has seven goals and nine assists for 16 points in 19 games this season.
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