Just 19 games into his Detroit Red Wings tenure, Patrick Kane suffered a lower-body injury that will keep the American out of the lineup for at least the next two contests.
Kane was injured in Sunday’s 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, logging just 1:07 of ice time in the process. Head coach Derek Lalonde told reporters on Tuesday that the 35-year-old would miss at least the remainder of the road trip, but the ailment is not related to his hip.
That means Showtime won’t be in the lineup on Wednesday night against the Florida Panthers, nor Friday in Carolina against the Hurricanes.
Although Patrick Kane has only been ruled out for two contests, it sounds like he could be sidelined beyond that with the lower-body issue. For now, he will remain at seven goals and 16 points through 19 contests in Motown.
Kane’s Red Wings future undecided
There is obviously major concern surrounding the Red Wings and their prized free agent signing. And that’s not just because, after hip resurfacing surgery over the summer, Kane rekindled his connection with Alex DeBrincat and looked like he had turned back the clock.
It’s also because Kane’s future in Detroit is still up in the air, according to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.
“We haven’t discussed the future yet,” agent Pat Brisson told LeBrun just before the injury. “He is mainly focused on making a push for the Red Wings to get into the playoffs. I’m sure this is his priority at the moment. I know he wants to continue playing the game he loves for as long as he can and at the moment he’s feeling great!”
LeBrun sees the Red Wings having three options here: extend Kane before the Mar. 8 NHL Trade Deadline, keep him for the rest of the season and make an extension decision in the offseason, or ship him out ahead of the deadline.
Obviously, the injury complicates things.
“If the Red Wings stay in the playoff race, option No. 2 would be my pick if I were Yzerman,” confirmed LeBrun. “I wouldn’t rush into an extension. Use the rest of the season to gauge where Patrick Kane is in his recovery.
“Yes, you risk losing him July 1 in that scenario, but as I said, it’s not like Detroit gave up anything to get him anyway. I would stay patient. And if Detroit falls out of it, absolutely see if there’s a trade fit. That’s a bonus asset to be gained if that’s the case.”
While the status of Patrick Kane is murky now, it should become clearer once more details are revealed about his newest injury, as well as how well the Wings perform without the three-time Stanley Cup champion.
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