The Detroit Red Wings landed one of the best American hockey players of all-time last week by signing Patrick Kane to a contract. Kane hopes to make his season debut in Detroit Thursday as he works himself back up to being ready for NHL game speed.
While Kane is not the player he was in his prime, when he was winning scoring titles and leading the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cup victories, there is still optimism that he will become the first NHL player to successfully come back from hip resurfacing surgery and still have a positive impact on the ice. The mere mention of Kane’s name can’t hurt the Red Wings’ odds.
Even if the on-ice product is not up to his usual standards, his history of success in the regular season and playoffs should prove invaluable to a Red Wings team that is challenging for a playoff spot this year without much playoff experience on a roster that has been rebuilding over the past few seasons.
BetMichigan.com – your source for Michigan sports betting – utilized Hockey-Reference.com and ChampsorChumps.us to chronicle at Kane’s production and how his teams fared over the years to show why Detroit would be excited about even a 35-year-old right winger coming off major surgery.
Patrick Kane’s Impact on Teams
When Kane and Blackhawks Ruled
Kane’s Blackhawks made the playoffs for nine consecutive seasons, starting with his second year in the league in 2008-09 and ending with the 2016-17 season. In that time the Blackhawks made it to the Stanley Cup Final three times and won each time.
That type of playoff success is something that Detroit fans had gotten used to before the current seven-year playoff drought that the team is trying to end. Before that, Detroit was on a streak of 25 consecutive years in the playoffs, a run that included six Stanley Cup Final appearances with four wins. Red Wings fans and bettors are hoping that Kane’s playoff experience will rub off on his teammates and give the squad a push to a playoff appearance.
The Red Wings entered the season with +5000 odds on many Michigan sports betting apps to win the Stanley Cup, shorter odds than in previous seasons but still a long shot to win the title. Detroit’s rebuilding timeline has mirrored that of Buffalo and Ottawa. With all three Atlantic Division teams expecting to finally challenge for the playoffs this season, it seemed that Detroit was still a step behind with the Senators and Sabres both checking in at +4000 on the preseason odds board.
Red Wings Off to Surprising Start
Once the games started, however, Detroit quickly proved the oddsmakers wrong, as they rank second in the Atlantic Division with a 14-7-3 record, well ahead of Buffalo and Ottawa, who are both under .500 and sitting at the bottom of the division. This success led to Kane choosing Detroit as his preferred destination despite rumors that his hometown Sabres were going to be his choice.
With a playoff berth now appearing more likely than unlikely, Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman’s decision to target players with playoff experience in free agency over the past couple of summers is looking very wise, and the Kane signing is yet another step in that direction. With his incredible offensive skill set, Kane also will be expected to help the power play as well as add some scoring to the top six. Ultimately, Kane’s ability to will teams into the playoffs is the key to the signing.
Kane has history with Red Wings winger Alex DeBrincat and likely will be given the chance to play with him and team captain Dylan Larkin on a line with tons of offensive potential.
The Red Wings appear to finally be out of the painful early stages of their rebuild and the playoffs are now a realistic option. The decision by Kane, a veteran player whose main priority is winning, to choose Detroit this year shows that players around the league see Detroit as a threat as well. Yzerman has responded by giving the team the needed ammunition to have success.
Count on BetMichigan.com to follow the progress of Kane and the Red Wings as well as supply the best Michigan sportsbook promos.
