The Detroit Red Wings are in a situation right now, and it’s not going to improve unless they start making drastic changes. Once thought of as a surefire playoff contender this season, the Wings are all but guaranteed to be sellers come trade deadline season if their current trajectory lasts another month.
This is one reason why they need to start giving a few more of their younger players in the system a chance to see if they can provide any answers. It might sound counterintuitive to some, but maybe it’ll turn the team’s luck around and they can start digging themselves out of this wreck that they’re in.
It also means they should seriously consider messing with a few players’ ice time right now, even that of a seasoned veteran who’s enjoyed a decorated career. And yeah, before you ask, I’ll admit that I’m talking about Patrick Kane, someone who still can’t seem to get it together at the one-third-of-the-way mark.
Just for a rundown, Kane has 10 points and three goals in 23 games so far heading into Thursday’s contest. Yet he’s still logging 17:23 of average total ice time. And that looks like it’s going nowhere, considering he’s logged at least 15:16 of ATOI in each of his last five games, and at least 16:21 in four of those contests.
Playing Patrick Kane so often is only hurting the Red Wings
Oh, and might I add, Kane’s put up exactly zero points in those five games despite logging 12 shots on goal. I’ve been talking about Kane a lot lately, and it’s never been in a positive light. And this is a player who more than looked like he still had some fuel in the tank following a 47-point, 20-goal season in 50 contests.
Last year, Kane recorded a solid 18:23 of ATOI, so it’s not like playing more minutes per game was detrimental in any way. Overall, he’s just been an eyesore to watch while other players out there, seasoned veterans themselves, have performed better than expected lately.
That said, is there any reason for Kane to keep getting the ice time he’s received? There’s no way any Red Wings fan should justify it following a string of disappointing performances despite playing predominantly top-six minutes.
Nope, it’s time to end the Patrick Kane experiment, at least for a player with so much ice time, before he starts to play a part in holding the team back. Yeah, Kane is and always will be a legend, but it’s getting to the point where he’s beginning to tarnish his legacy. Maybe he’ll turn things around, but I’m not expecting much at this point.