Patrick Kane Back on Ice – Three-time Stanley Cup winner Patrick Kane has returned on the ice three months after undergoing hip surgery. According to Kane, he is on track to return to full-contact hockey and is practicing on ice for about 20 times. The 34-year-old said that it feels exciting to see improvements after going under the knife. Kane added that he hopes to be cleared for contact and has an upcoming appointment with the doctor. Despite seeing positive progress with his rehabilitation, Kane said he wants to stick with the six-month timeframe that the doctors recommended. Now a free agent, Kane seeks to stay patient while fielding offers from National Hockey League teams. Squads are slated to begin training camp in three weeks and getting a veteran piece like Kane will help NHL clubs improve on their hockey betting stock in the 2023-24 season.
Patrick Kane’s Potential Move to the Detroit Red Wings
Last season, Kane finished with 57 points in 73 games. He opened the season with the Blackhawks and scored 45 points in 54 games before he got traded to the New York Rangers. The right-winger appeared in 19 games and scored 12 points with the Rangers, who reached the playoffs and got the right to play with the New Jersey Devils, who eventually won the series, 4-3. Kane added a goal and five assists and helped New York win three games in the series. The Buffalo, New York native is ranked second to Mike Modano in scoring among American players with 1,237 points and was one of the main players of Chicago’s Stanley Cup-winning teams in 2010, 2013 and 2015.
He took home the Hart Trophy as league Most Valuable Player in 2016. The former No1 pick joined Nicklas Backstrom and Carl Hagelin to undergo hip surgery over the past year. The procedure involves dislocating the upper end of the thighbone, trimming it, capping it and removing cartilage before putting it back in place. Backstrom played seven months after the surgery and finished with 21 points in 39 games. Hagelin called it quits recently due to an eye injury that sidelined him for almost a year and a half. Defenseman Ed Jovanovski also played after undergoing a hip resurfacing surgery. He suited up for 37 games before retiring.
Meanwhile, Kane has revealed that he is thinking about signing with the Detroit Red Wings. If that comes to fruition, Kane teams up with former teammate Alex DeBrincat, who once played for Chicago and Dylan Larkin in the Red Wings line. DeBrincat tallied 66 points last season, including 27 goals, with the Ottawa Senators. He scored 40+ goals in two seasons with the Blackhawks from 2017-18 to 2021-2022. The Senators dealt the right-wing/left-wing was dealt to the Red Wings in July 2023 for Dominik Kubalík, prospect Donovan Sebrango, a conditional 2024 first-round draft pick and Detroit’s 2024 fourth-round selection. DeBrincat then inked a four-year, extension with an average annual value of USD7.875 million. Larkin, who plays center and is the Red Wings captain, tallied 79 points last season.
Patrick Kane Back on Ice – Brian MacLellan Named Capitals President of Hockey Operations
Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan will also serve as the team’s president of hockey operations. The Capitals made the announcement recently and it goes along with the naming Dick and Chris Patrick as team chairman and associate GM respectively. MacLellan has been the Capitals’ GM since 2014 and previously served as team vice-president. He served as the assistant to longtime GM George McPhee before taking over the role. He was at the helm when Washington won the Stanley Cup in 2018. The team made the playoffs in his first eight seasons before the streak ended in the 2022-23 season. Over the past decade, the Capitals own the third-most victories in the league.
Meanwhile, Chris Patrick will also focus on the analytics department, player contract negotiations, the hockey ops staff, player personnel and budget and team scheduling issues, aside from taking over as assistant GM. The 47-year-old previously worked in player development, scout and director of player personnel. He has been a part of the Washington franchise for 16 seasons. Dick Patrick, who was hired by the Capitals in 1982, helped the team made 32 playoff appearances in 40 seasons. He also served as Ted Leonsis’ original partner when Monumental Sports and Entertainment was inaugurated in 2010. MacLellan’s new position is a testament for his excellence as a general manager for the Capitals. The new post is expected to help Washington get back to their winning ways and possibly make the playoffs this season, according to experts who focus on betting for NHL in the upcoming tournament.
