Kane delivers vintage performance for Red Wings in emotional Chicago return

CHICAGO -- Patrick Kane took the pass at center ice and picked up speed before slowing down a bit in the slot, where he dusted off the puck and fired a shot over Petr Mrazek's glove for the overtime winner. 

The 35-year-old forward has scored a lot of game-winning goals at United Center in his career, but Sunday was the first time he did it against the Chicago Blackhawks, the franchise he helped resurrect and was the face of for 16 seasons.

Showtime was back.

“Just a lot of emotions right now,” Kane said after the 3-2 overtime win for his Detroit Red Wings. “Scoring that goal, being back here, being on a different team.”

It was Kane’s first game against the Blackhawks and his first game in Chicago since Feb. 21, 2023, when he had an assist in a 3-2 shootout win against the Vegas Golden Knights. He was traded to the New York Rangers one week later.

Kane's overtime goal was a fitting ending for what was a busy and celebratory day in Chicago. A few hours after Chris Chelios’ No. 7 was retired in a tremendous ceremony, No. 88 reminded everyone why his jersey will also likely hang from those same rafters once his NHL career ends.

“It’s crazy thinking about someone who’s done so much for one organization to come back and get his flowers, and obviously with the ending that way, I don’t think he could’ve scripted it better,” said Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat, who sprung Kane with the stretch pass in overtime.

“It’s nice to see him enjoying his celebration.”

The No. 1 pick by the Blackhawks in the 2007 NHL Draft, Kane had 1,225 points (446 goals, 779 assists) in 1,161 regular-season games with Chicago. He is second in Blackhawks history in points and assists, behind Stan Mikita (1,467 points, 926 assists), third in goals, behind Bobby Hull (604) and Mikita (541), and third in games played, behind Mikita (1,396) and Duncan Keith (1,192).

Among his accolades, Kane won the Stanley Cup three times (2010, 2013 and 2015), the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year in 2007-08, the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2013, and the Hart Trophy as the League's most valuable player in 2015-16.

As a result, the celebration for Kane truly began with a video tribute early in the first period. And although he was able to keep his emotions in check, the crowd wasn't, boisterously cheering Kane until he did not one, not two, but three quick spins around center ice.

“Just so special,” Kane said. “You don’t expect anything less from the Blackhawks with the tribute. Didn’t know if I did enough laps or too many laps. The guys kept telling me to go for another one, go for another one. Some of them wanted to see four. I only did three. It was great.”

Kane being goaded into extra laps wasn’t surprising. Neither was seeing Kane and DeBrincat once again at their best on Chicago ice. Prior to making his Red Wings debut in December, Kane said DeBrincat, his teammate with the Blackhawks from 2017-2022, was part of the reason why he signed with Detroit.

Their connection is as evident now as it was then.

“I was getting a little frustrated today and he was keeping me positive the whole time,” Kane said of DeBrincat. “He’s like, I guess, the big brother to me here now.”

No one knew how Kane would look following the hip resurfacing surgery he had on June 1, but if there were any concerns after he signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Red Wings on Nov. 28, they’ve been erased. Kane has 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 27 games for Detroit, including 12 points (five goals, seven assists) on a current eight-game point streak.

The Red Wings (32-20-6), meanwhile, who haven't qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2015-16, hold the first wild card from the Eastern Conference.

“There’s only so often you can really be part of special nights in this game, and I’ve been lucky enough to be part of a few, but this one ranks right up there,” Red Wings goaltender James Reimer said.

“Such an elite, such a great player, and to be on his team when he comes back to this city, the reception he got, kudos to the fans here. The reception they gave him was awesome and so well deserved for what he’s done for the city of Chicago. Really cool to see that and then obviously the way it ended, right? Pretty special.”

The end was special. For the Red Wings, for Kane, and, in a way, for the fans in attendance.

Before leaving the ice, Kane patted his heart and waved to the crowd. He is in Detroit now, but Chicago will always have a hold on him.

“Just tried to show the fans there at the end they’ll always have my heart here,” Kane said. “A special 16-17 years, whatever it was, I don’t even know. But it was great.”