How Patrick Kane's Chicago return could leapfrog Nick Lardis to the next level

When the Chicago Blackhawks drafted Nick Lardis in the third round of the NHL draft three years ago, he was known as a guy who could score goals from any angle, anywhere on the ice, at any time he pleased. Little did anyone know that Lardis would become a 70-goal scorer in one of the toughest leagues in junior hockey, and now he is set to play alongside one of the greatest players to ever come out of the OHL.

The reunion between Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks has been a recurring fairy tale for Hawks fans ever since he was traded to the New York Rangers back in 2023. The thought of arguably their greatest-ever player returning after such a roller coaster of an exit was never really realistic, but he's back now, and his impact on the young Blackhawks will be monumental for their improvement.

Back in the early 2010s, Patrick Kane would have been the one taken under the wings of those veterans; now it's his turn, his turn to get the Chicago Blackhawks back to being real playoff competitors, but not in the way fans may think.

The Blackhawks' youth movement has been in full swing ever since they acquired Connor Bedard in the 2023 NHL Draft, and having one of the best prospect pools in the league is never a bad thing, but it can be when there are no real elite role models on the team. Guys like Anton Frondell, Nick Lardis, Roman Kantserov, and others who are just getting into the fold may have just come at the right time. Having a guy like Kane by their side is massive for their development as NHL stars.

How Kane and Lardis will go hand-in-hand

Of all the young talent, Kane will be a blessing with years of NHL wisdom. Lardis, the former Brantford Bulldog and exciting young winger, looks poised to be the guy to take Kane's return in stride. Lardis was one of the CHL's best goal scorers, a fiend whether it was 1-on-1, from the faceoff dot, or in the crease, and with Kane's elite-level playmaking by his side this season, he will only improve with even better distribution.

You couldn't even count on 10 pairs of hands how many times Kane has set up textbook goals that look easy for young guys, and for Lardis, that is just music to his ears. Being a player who can take shots in his stride or off balance, especially one-timers, Kane's insanely good vision and playmaking abilities will go miles in making Lardis a better shooter and overall player. He is the perfect role model and mentor he could have for his play style.

It is uncanny how similar the two are physically, too, and it bodes well for Lardis being a relatively smaller and nimble player, just like Kane when he entered the league. For Lardis, his game isn't physical and grinding, but elegant and offensive, just like Kane's.

For Lardis, his game can only improve on his wing. But the impact Kane will have psychologically and on his development as a smaller guy will be massive and key for the Blackhawks going forward with such a promising young goal scorer.

There is no doubt that Kane will impact so many of the young prospects the Blackhawks possess. With his world-class traits and veteran knowledge, the Hawks are in good hands. But especially for Lardis, he will get the Kane development program from the man himself, and the leap Lardis could take this season could be massive; we could be seeing a very similar archetype of player to Kane for years to come in Lardis.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow