The Detroit Red Wings will start working through the trade deadline thoughts. One of the things that will cross Steve Yzerman's mind is what to do with Patrick Kane going forward. The team has options, as Bob Heyrman recently wrote, and it will require Yzerman to make a decision.
However, the Detroit Red Wings need to decide right. The decision for the Red Wings is simple. Keep Patrick Kane around. Even if the team does not end up in a playoff spot, the Red Wings should invest in Kane. The veteran forward has settled in nicely with his new squad.
Even if Kane wearing a Red Wings jersey still seems weird to some folks, it's here, and Kane has been solid. On top of that, some folks have their angst toward the forward. The bottom line is that he's costing less than $2.75 million for the rest of the 2023-24 season and has been able to produce.
Detroit has to see this, too. While they will have to make some decisions before the trade deadline, keeping Kane around might be one of the smart things to do. It may sound like a bigger risk than a reward, but I do not see it that way right now.
The Detroit Red Wings need to keep Patrick Kane around.
There are some folks out there who may be against this, and in a few months, maybe it will not feel like the right move. However, Kane has brought some value. Since getting back on the ice and into game shape with Detroit, Kane has played in 16 games. He has six goals and eight assists with 14 total points.
Kane's jumped right in with the teams' powerplay units and has a few points on the powerplay, three to be exact. But his presence alone has been one that has worked well. He's been someone that teams work to defend with years of success getting work done with the puck on his stick while on the powerplay.
The Red Wings have run the powerplay through Kane, getting the puck to him and letting him work to create scoring chances, and his ability to show off poise has certainly shown up. He's also been good in 5-on-5 spots, showing off that puck control and poise that is quite fascinating to watch.
All in all, Kane being around with the Red Wings has been a nice gift for the team. A cheap contract that has been worth it to this point has to feel good. But the question is with Kane's future.
Detroit should really make it a point to try to keep Kane around. If Kane is willing to stay with Detroit, why not put some stock in him? If Kane can be a cheap option again for 2024-25, it might be worth kicking the tires on an extension for the Red Wings.
It's too early to really think about how this will unfold. But with trade deadline season on the horizon, the Red Wings should be looking to hold onto Kane.