Blackhawks should do whatever it takes to bring Patrick Kane back

The Chicago Blackhawks need a hero.

They're projected to finish 31st in the NHL next season. They traded away the 4th overall pick, the 45th overall pick, and Louis Crevier for a defenseman with a career-high of 42 points. Worst of all, franchise center Connor Bedard is set to miss the first two months of the season.

Sure, young players like Roman Kantserov and Anton Frondell are exciting and could make a major impact this season, but, as of right now, morale is about as low as it can get in the Windy City.

There's one way to turn that around quickly, however:

On an interview with 104.3 The Score, Blackhawks legend (and Chicago native) Chris Chelios revealed that franchise legend Patrick Kane is torn between two teams right now: the Buffalo Sabres and Chicago Blackhawks.

If general manager Kyle Davidson wants to take some of the pressure off his plate, the best thing he can do is throw as much money at Patrick Kane as he wants.

What Patrick Kane's return would mean for the Blackhawks

Kane is one of the most recognizable Blackhawks (and perhaps Chicago athletes) of all time. When he made his return to the United Center and scored as a member of the Detroit Red Wings, the crowd erupted in cheers. It's safe to say his return would be an extremely welcome one for the Hawks.

The NHL is a business, and, in order to generate revenue, they need fans to attend games. Kane's triumphant return to Chicago would certainly encourage fans to catch a game or two -- especially with Bedard out for the first few months of the season.

Kane already has roots in the Chicago area, having purchased a home in Lake Forest just a few years back. This purchase signals that he's already contemplating returning to the area either during his final season(s) or after his retirement.

Best of all, Kane's return wouldn't just be for morale or revenue. He's still an extremely effective NHL forward. Last season, Kane scored 57 points in 67 games with the Red Wings, finishing fifth in scoring among all Red Wings in 2025-26. Adding him to the Blackhawks would give either Bedard or Frank Nazar a highly effective winger capable of pulling his own weight at the NHL level.

If that wasn't enough, any concerns about salary should be thrown out the window. The Blackhawks are still flush with salary cap space, having nearly $30M to spend between Bedard, Ethan Del Mastro, Kevin Korchinski, and Kane. They can comfortably offer him nearly any deal he'd like to convince him to return to Chicago.

At this point in Kyle Davidson's tenure, there's really no downside to bringing Kane back for one last dance.

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