(Montreal) Star forward Patrick Kane has accepted a contract offer from the Detroit Red Wings for the remainder of the season.
The deal is for US$2.75 million, for the full season, so he’ll get a little over US$2 million prorated.
Last August, Kane told the AP that he had already skated about 20 times since he underwent hip resurfacing surgery on June 1.
The three-time Stanley Cup winner underwent surgery to repair a nagging injury that hampered him last season with the Chicago Blackhawks and then, after a trade, during the playoffs with the New York Rangers.
Several teams coveted his services, including his hometown club, the Buffalo Sabres, as well as the Toronto Maple Leafs and the reigning Eastern Conference champions, the Florida Panthers. He finally made his choice on the offer from the Red Wings and their general manager, Steve Yzerman.
Kane will try to become the third player to return to the NHL after undergoing major hip surgery, joining defenseman Ed Jovanovki and center Nicklas Backstrom. Jovanovski only played 37 games after his return, and Backstrom recently left the Washington Capitals after 47 games – his artificial left hip is reportedly problematic, and it seems unlikely he will return to action this season.
Kane’s arrival could boost the Red Wings, who are 11-6-3 after 20 games and currently in the playoff picture in the East by virtue of their third place in the Atlantic Division standings. . The Red Wings, who won 11 Stanley Cups between 1936 and 2008, are trying to end a drought of seven seasons without a playoff appearance – their longest since the 1970s.
Kane’s production dipped last season, when he had 21 goals and 57 points in 73 games.
He was diminished, but also, he played the first 54 games with the Hawks, who are rebuilding.
His production increased with the Rangers: five goals and 12 points in 19 regular season games, then a goal and six points in the first round in the East against the New Jersey Devils, defeaters of the Rangers in seven games.
Among American players in NHL history, the 35-year-old from Buffalo is second behind Mike Modano, with 1,237 points.
Kane was one of the centerpieces of the Hawks’ Cup victories in 2010, 2013 and 2015. He also won the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player in 2016.
It is currently unknown when Kane will get the green light to play in an NHL game. His representatives had already indicated that he would wait until he had fully recovered from the operation before reaching an agreement with a team from the Bettman circuit.
The Red Wings will face the Rangers on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.