Blackhawks might've found exactly what they need with Patrick Kane's return

There's something very nostalgic about the past and present colliding. Now, it's becoming a reality for the Chicago Blackhawks as Patrick Kane returns.

The Blackhawks are no strangers to players returning, but Kane is the most familiar.
Yet, it's been three years since he last played in Chicago. Even though fans know what to expect from him, there's still curiosity about how he will impact the team.

His 2026-27 storyline will surround that.

It's fun to see Kane back now because, thinking back to 2023, when it became clear the Blackhawks were likely headed for the draft lottery and in the running for Connor Bedard, the idea of Kane and Bedard playing together was exciting. Seeing one of the NHL's best play with a blossoming, elite talent sounded like a great proposition.

But Kane got traded to the New York Rangers, and the Blackhawks subsequently landed Bedard. So, fans never got to see that picture come to life.

Until now.

Kane can help the Blackhawks' scoring

With the Blackhawks' scoring woes over the years (second-worst in goals-for per game at 2.56), it's hard not to think Kane will fit in well, given his pedigree.

He might be older now, at 37 years old, but he's still productive. Last season, his 57 points were fifth on the Detroit Red Wings and would've been third on the Blackhawks. His 17:42 minutes of ice time was top-10 on Detroit. His game-winning goals (4) were fourth, and he was third in power-play assists (17).

Kane's hockey IQ is an asset. On the power play and five-on-five, he can get the puck to the right guys at the right time, and they are going to need it with Bedard out to start the season. When Bedard returns, their combined minds will be even more significant.

New chemistry can lead to new success

He played a lot with Alex DeBrincat last season. His chemistry with DeBrincat is well documented from their Blackhawks days, and the pairing brought results. Now, Kane has started building chemistry with his new teammates.

Kane said, "He (Bedard) is such a special player. I think, you know, this will be my 20th year in the league, and I'd probably see passes I've never seen before playing with him, right? So that kind of speaks to how great of a player he is. But yeah, I mean, wherever I fit in, I fit in. No matter who it's with, I'm gonna try to make the most of it. I've been skating with Frankie (Nazar) a lot and try and develop some chemistry with him. Even though I've been signed for about one day, it's kind of been in the back of my mind. Like, maybe I'll be playing with this guy, so maybe we try to develop some chemistry. But he's another great player too. Very impressed with him, his work ethic, his speed, skill.
So, I'm sure there's going to be a lot of those guys that kind of stick out to me, and be great to have the opportunity to play with a lot of them."

Kane also stated, "(I'm) excited to come back and try and produce and fit in with all these young players and guys that I can play with, help build chemistry, learn... I mean, I want to learn more as a player, too. I want to get better, learn from the coaches, learn from even the young players. You know, learn from Connor and Frankie and all these young guys that have so much potential and have kind of paved their own way into the league as well. So, yeah, do all those things; help the team win, help the team score. I mean, that's kind of always what I've been known to do is help produce. So I don't think that's going to change anytime now. But yeah, try to do the best I can."

General manager Kyle Davidson and Kane both made it clear that his return is not just for the vibes. As Davidson said, "We're bringing him in to make our team better, which we firmly believe that he does do, and so we're ready to continue to take steps and believe that he's an important piece to help that."

What Kane's production and chemistry with his teammates will look like remains to be seen. But one thing seems certain: Kane does make the Blackhawks better. His time in Chicago was marked by ultimate success.

And if he helps them fight for a playoff spot? Even better.

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