The Red Wings Must Re-Sign Patrick Kane!!!
I have seen enough!!! I have seen enough Detroit Red Wings games this season to make the following statement.
Oh, before I tell you the statement, you should already know that I believe that the Red Wings need to re-sign impending restricted free agents Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond. They are MUSTS for the near-future of this franchise.
But you can now add someone else to the musts of the future of the franchise:
The Detroit Red Wings MUST re-sign Patrick Kane.
You weren't sure what you going to get from Kane (pictured above) after he had hip resurfacing surgery this past off-season. But, in the 25 games he has played in a Wings uniform, he has scored 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists).
And if you watch the Red Wings for any significant stretch of games this season, you can clearly see why he is going to the Hall of Fame.
THEIR ROSTER IS DEEPER UP FRONT WITH KANE
The Red Wings tried to bring up young guys from the minors as part of the rebuild, but some of them (like Elmer Sodorblom and Jonatan Berggren) just weren't consistent enough to break into the lineup longterm.
So the team had to sign some veterans to accelerate the process along. J.T. Compher, Andrew Copp, David Perron, and others were signed in the last few years. They have made a difference.
But not like Patrick Kane.
All you have to do is use the eye test. When Patrick Kane is in uniform and is playing, they are a better team. With Kane, they have more guys who can hurt the other team on offense. Patrick's ability to score and pass is only matched by team captain Dylan Larkin on this roster.
BTW, that pass that Dylan Larkin made to Kane to win the recent game against the Colorado Avalanche was absolutely world-class. Absolutely beautiful pass and a great finish by Kane.
HIS PRESENCE IS EVIDENT
You just know when Patrick Kane is on the ice. Just by him being there, he raises the level of the other guys around him. He just has a presence that only great players have. Sidney Crosby has it. Alex Ovechkin has it. Conner McDavid has it. Kane's former teammate Johnathan Toews had it.
Again, use the eye test. Kane just has "It".
BECAUSE OF THAT, THE WINGS MUST RE-SIGN KANE
Patrick Kane is an unrestricted free agent after the season. Because of his hip surgery, the best he could do contract-wise was a 1-year deal worth $2.75 million with the Red Wings.
If he can stay healthy for the rest of the season, he'll do better than that this off-season. If I'm the Red Wings, I sign him to a 2-3 deal similar to what they gave Michael Rasmussen ($12.8 million) recently. You don't give him the farm, but you do need to bring him back.
It's amazing to say that Patrick Kane is one of the most talented players on the roster. But he is. Right there with Larkin, Raymond, and Seider. He has been that good.
Get it done, Stevie Y!!!