The Detroit Red Wings have a lot they have to deal with. First up, they have to find a new head of hockey operations, as they announced that Steve Yzerman was stepping down from his role as executive vice president and general manager, weeks after free agency and the NHL Draft. Next up will be to see what they will do with captain Dylan Larkin, who requested a trade this offseason. With Yzerman gone, is it more likely Larkin stays in Detroit or that he gets dealt elsewhere?
The Red Wings still have players from their roster on the open market. Their most notable is winger Patrick Kane, who has shown no desire to retire just yet. However, it doesn't look like he'll be returning to the Red Wings for another season. While the Buffalo Sabres have been linked heavily to Kane, considering it would be a homecoming for him.
But one team that has entered the race and, quite frankly, has shown the most public interest are the Chicago Blackhawks, his former team and the Red Wings' hated rivals.
Blackhawks sound increasingly interested in signing Patrick Kane away from Red Wings
This past weekend, the Blackhawks signed star Connor Bedard to a five-year, $75 million contract extension, ensuring he won't be going anywhere for the foreseeable future. While speaking with reporters this week, Bedard was asked about Kane potentially returning to the Blackhawks. Based on Bedard's comments, he sounds fully on board with that idea.
"I hope so," Bedard said, h/t ESPN. "I don't know what I can say to persuade his decision, but we'd all be so excited to have a player like that but also a guy like that.
"I can't imagine his first game back at the [United Center], just the reaction he'd get and how much juice that would bring not only to our team but our fans as well. That would be incredible to get to play with him and learn from him."
It's not surprising that Bedard would want Kane to return to Chicago. Kane solidified himself as one of the best players in franchise history, and Red Wings fans know all to well how much of a pain it was to play against him in his prime.
Bedard wasn't the only member of the Blackhawks to speak about potentially adding Kane. General manager Kyle Davidson appeared on 104.3 The Score and sounded open to the idea of reuniting with Kane.
"Patrick knows where we stand," said Davidson, h/t Audacy. "And his understanding and the path we've taken over the last number of years has been something that was obviously communicated to him when he was here last time. I think everybody was in a different place at that time in terms of what we were looking to accomplish, what he was looking to accomplish. Patrick Kane's seen as a Blackhawk. We feel he's a Blackhawk for life. He knows where we stand on it.
"We've got such a great deal of respect and care for Kaner, that I think it would be derelict in my duty to not at least consider the option and to explore the possibility."
While Bedard and Davidson are both interested, the decision ultimately is up to Kane. From the looks of it, and former Blackhawks player Chris Chelios' comments, it's down to Chicago and Buffalo. So, it's not really ideal if Kane lands with either team. The Blackhawks are the hated rivals of the Red Wings when they were both in the Western Conference. As for the Sabres, they are in the Atlantic Divison along with the Red Wings, and have come off of an impressive 2025-26 season that saw them win the division.
While the Blackhawks are looking to add a player like Kane, the Red Wings are stuck in a standstill as they await a new head of hockey operations and then see what they want to do with Larkin. Red Wings fans shouldn't expect things to be too active for quite some time.
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