According to a team announcement, the Detroit Red Wings have signed veteran forward Patrick Kane to a one-year contract for the 2025-26 season. Detroit shared that Kane will earn $3MM base salary, while PuckPedia reported his potential performance bonuses:
- $2.5MM after 10 games played
- $250K after 30 games played
- $250K after 50 games played
- $500K for reaching the postseason
- $250K for Round One win
- $250K for Round Two win
Although his base salary has decreased by $1MM, Kane has the opportunity to earn a slight raise on his new deal with Detroit. The Red Wings signed Kane to a one-year, $4MM contract a year ago to the day, with an additional $2.5MM available in performance bonuses. Unfortunately for Kane, he only earned $1.75MM of those bonuses. Still, by the time Kane reaches 30 games played in the upcoming season, he’ll have matched last year’s total.
Kane became an obvious re-sign candidate during the end-of-season press availability for the Red Wings. General Manager Steve Yzerman stated his intention to re-sign Kane, and the 18-year veteran felt the same way.
Since coming to Detroit early in the 2023-24 campaign, Kane has been a valuable secondary scorer for the Red Wings. Despite undergoing hip resurfacing surgery, Kane has scored 41 goals and 106 points in 122 games donning the ’Winged Wheel’, averaging 18:09 of ice time per night.
Kane’s recovery from hip resurfacing surgery has been fairly remarkable. He was in visible pain toward the end of his tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks, and he finally underwent surgery after concluding his time with the New York Rangers. The same surgery ended Nicklas Bäckström’s career prematurely, just before Kane had his. However, Kane has returned stronger, maintaining his production levels.
Furthermore, Kane’s speed hasn’t appeared affected by the surgery, either. To be fair, ’Father Time’ has zapped much of the speed from his Hart Memorial days, but it’s decreased only slightly since. According to NHL EDGE data, Kane finished in the 81st percentile of the league in 18-20 mph bursts pre-surgery, and 76th percentile post-surgery. He may not have the best edge work anymore, but Kane has been playing like he’s got much more left in the tank.
Yzerman is clueless, It’s one step forward, And two steps back with the Yzerplan!
Kane is a calm, steady force that is sorely needed on the Wings lines. Keep him for whatever games he has left in him. Get him some good supporting line mates with similar hockey sense and hockey traits and you have a darned good line, as solid as any in the NHL.
Holland 1997 to 2019, in his last 8 years, brought the franchise down from the top of the NHL to near or at the very bottom. Along with that decline came the ability to attract and deal effectively with high value players. The health decline and death of Mike Ilitch in 2017, impacted the front office and the NHL’s perception of the organization as a whole. Then there was the Blashill malaise reinforcing the below average reputation. LaLonde perhaps a qualified coach, certainly didn’t inspire anyone much less the players.
Enter Yzerman in 2019-20 to rebuild this wreck of a franchise. Its a lot more than a roster of players or even a coaching staff. At this point there are solid AHL prospects, draftees of high potential and an NHL bench with some holes and a couple flat tires that need to be changed in a difficult trade/draft environment.
Its a six level high speed chess game constantly changing, he’ll get there.