Patrick Kane's return offers a good boost for the Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings are hoping for a bounce-back game on Thursday. After Tuesday night's loss to the Dallas Stars, which looks better on paper than it really was, the Red Wings could use some offense. Detroit will have to find some more points before the end of the month.

It would bring them a much-needed boost if the Detroit Red Wings can get Patrick Kane back in the lineup. The offense may be firing on all cylinders, but getting Kane back would allow the team to keep churning out offense and provide them with a good addition in the forward core.

Kane's been out hurt with a lower-body injury, but thankfully, it was not a hip injury. The good news is he practiced on Wednesday and appears to be trending toward a return. Per the beat writer's flock of tweets, it sounds like he was a full participant in the team's Wednesday practice. It's his first practice in nearly two weeks, so positive news for sure.

The Red Wings must be excited about Kane getting back on the ice, as he would bring fresh air to the team's offense. The team was surging early on in the month, and while they still are surging, they're slowing down a bit from the torrid pace he was on.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane may be nearing a return.

Kane has come into the Red Wings organization and become a force immediately. He defied the odds on returning from his hip-resurfacing surgery and has become a quality NHL player once again, which some folks had written off. The Red Wings have deployed him well, and Kane has settled in nicely in his new home.

Through 19 games in Detroit, Kane has managed seven goals and nine assists for 16 total points. He's become a frequent flier on the power-play and certainly looks the part in doing so. For Detroit, getting a healthy Kane back in the lineup would be absolutely huge for them.

The team needs every point they can get. They're still in the playoff picture but must finish the month strong heading into the All-Star Break. Having Kane back with the forward group would be a huge help for head coach Derek Lalonde to expect consistency in results.

Some may argue that three power-play goals against Dallas would be "doing just fine" without Kane, but he's a wizard with the puck on his stick and is a real asset there. He's also someone Yzerman should extend, and I'm hopeful he sticks around with this team, but that's another topic of discussion.

One thing is certain: as the Red Wings keep working to close out this half of the season and cruise into the All-Star Break, getting Kane back is a nice boost for the team.