As Showtime returns to Chicago, revisit the surgical precision, historic milestones, and iconic overtime winners that defined the future Hall of Famer’s unforgettable three-season stint in Detroit.
One of the biggest question marks of the offseason for the Detroit Red Wings was whether or not future Hall of Fame winger Patrick Kane would return to Hockeytown, and on Thursday, the answer finally arrived.
The 37-year-old Buffalo native is heading back to where his hockey journey began, agreeing to a two-year, $16 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, the franchise that made him the first overall pick in 2007 and turned him into a franchise icon over 16 seasons and three Stanley Cup championships.
It was a fun three seasons with Kane in the Motor City, and Chicago appears to be about the only other team Red Wings fans can't be upset to see him leave for. Kane produced 57 goals and 103 points in 189 games as a Red Wing, and along the way he authored some moments Detroit fans won't soon forget. With his return to Chicago official, here's a look back at his best moments in the Winged Wheel.
Still Elite After Major Injuries
Kane's first season in Detroit may have been his most improbable. After undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in June 2023, he didn't make his Red Wings debut until December, but he still finished the year with a near point-per-game average at 47 points in just 50 games, showing he could still perform at an elite level despite the layoff and recovery.
That stretch run helped keep Detroit in playoff contention into the final weeks of the season and set the stage for three more productive years in the Winged Wheel, ones that Red Wings fans will remember fondly even as Kane heads home to Chicago.
Showtime Returns
Kane's first game back at the United Center as a visiting player, on February 25th, 2024, turned into one of the most emotional nights of his career. A sellout crowd of gave him a lengthy standing ovation during a video tribute in the first period, and things only built from there.
With the Red Wings and Blackhawks tied 2-2, Kane found himself alone at center ice in overtime, skated in on a breakaway, and beat goaltender Petr Mrazek glove side to win it.
Kane called it a night full of emotions, saying he simply wanted to show Chicago fans he'd always have his heart there. It marked the first time in nearly two decades that Kane had faced the Blackhawks, and he became just the sixth player in NHL history to score an overtime winner in his first game against a former team he'd played at least 1,000 games for.
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Surpasses Mike Modano's U.S. Scoring Record
Two days after tying the mark with an assist against the Los Angeles Kings, Kane recorded another helper against the Washington Capitals on this past January, reaching 1,375 career points and officially becoming the highest-scoring American-born player in NHL history, passing Hall of Famer Mike Modano.
The moment came on a secondary assist on a Ben Chiarot goal, and it set off a celebration as Detroit's bench emptied to mob Kane at center ice. Modano, who had held the record since passing Phil Housley in 2007 and who finished his own career with the Red Wings in 2010-11, sent Kane a prerecorded video message of congratulations that played on the videoboard at Little Caesars Arena.
500th Career Goal
Three weeks earlier, Kane reached another milestone against the Vancouver Canucks, scoring twice in a 5-1 Red Wings win, including an empty-net goal that made him the 50th player in NHL history to score 500 career goals.
He became just the fifth American-born player to reach the mark, joining Modano, Keith Tkachuk, Jeremy Roenick and Joe Mullen. Kane said afterward he was relieved to get the milestone out of the way, and Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin gave a speech in the locker room honoring the achievement as teammates wore commemorative T-shirts.
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