Patrick Kane

Rumor: Patrick Kane interested in joining Red Wings, reconnecting with Alex DeBrincat

One reporter doesn't dismiss Kane's interest in Detroit

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Patrick Kane is open for business.

The former Blackhawks winger is a free agent this offseason. He played the back half of last season with the New York Rangers, who were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

But now, rumor has it he might be interested in joining a rival of his former Blackhawks team.

"Watch for Patrick Kane to sign with the Detroit Red Wings," the Daily Herald's John Dietz tweeted. "Someone who knows Kane very well said Kane told him he wanted to follow Alex DeBrincat if/when he was able. Of course, there has to be mutual interest, so we'll see if Detroit extends an olive branch …"

DeBrincat, 25, signed a four-year deal with the Red Wings this offseason worth $31.5 million. He played 82 games with the Ottawa Senators, who the Blackhawks traded him to the offseason prior, and scored 66 points. He notched 27 goals and 39 assists while with the Senators.

Kane and DeBrincat were a dynamic duo on the Hawks' front line since the latter entered the league in 2017. DeBrincat recorded two seasons with over 75 points during his time with the Hawks. Kane averaged over 85 points per season during the years DeBrincat donned a Blackhawks sweater.

The Red Wings haven't made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season, when they were eliminated in the first round. That season marked the first after the Hawks' final Stanley Cup of their historic championship run in the 2010s.

The Red Wings' unsuccessful state might be, ironically, a lure for Kane, who's looking to win another Stanley Cup before calling it a career. If he can revitalize the Red Wings, who have gone seven seasons without a playoff berth, he would liven and solidify his legacy as one of, if not the best, American hockey players in the sport's history.

Kane is currently rehabbing from hip surgery he underwent over the offseason. However, his recovery has been remarkably fast. Kane was videoed doing shooting and skating drills three weeks after he went under the knife.

On the status of his injury, Kane said this: "Could I come back early? Yeah, probably," Kane told reporters recently. "It's a lot better than I was last year."

Where will Kane land this offseason?

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