BUFFALO – In the end, Patrick Kane signed with Chicago, choosing to return to the city where he’s a legend to help lead the Blackhawks back to glory.
The Sabres, Kane explained prior to Saturday’s game in KeyBank Center, aggressively pursued his services. When free agency opened July 1, one of the first calls he received was from general manager Jarmo Kekalainen.
“It was tough,” the South Buffalo native said of his decision. “It pretty much came down to Buffalo and Chicago. There was a lot of back and forth.”
Yes, Kane grew up cheering for the Sabres. But the team – the Sabres, who boast loads of young talent, earned 109 points and won the Atlantic Division last season – made the idea of returning home more enticing.
“You see a lot of great reasons to come here, not just because I’m from here, but just the team they have and where they’re going as an organization, and how I thought I would’ve fit in with the way I play, right?” the future Hall of Famer said.
Ultimately, Kane couldn’t say no to trying to help the rebuilding Blackhawks earn their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2020.
On July 23, Kane, who’s in his 20th season, signed a two-year, $16 million contract following three seasons with the Detroit Red Wings.
The winger called returning to the place where he made his name and won the Cup three times a “full circle moment.”
“There’s a lot of reasons to come back to Chicago, right?” said Kane, whose Blackhawks have started 0-2-0 this season. “Not just being comfortable, but also just where the organization is heading. I know we haven’t started off great this year, but I think there’s a lot of potential in the room and I think could be a winning team here pretty soon.”
The Blackhawks have started slowly, getting outscored 11-2 in two road losses. Budding star Connor Bedard, their new captain, underwent shoulder surgery in July and will likely be sidelined until November.
“He’s just a special, gifted player,” Kane said.
Kane said the defenseman Bowen Byram, the defenseman the Sabres traded to Chicago on June 23, has “added some swagger and some character to the room.”
“Sometimes you watch him, you hang out with him you think this guy’s like 31 or 32 years old, right?” he said. “And he’s only 25 years old, so he’s still a very, very young player in the league.
“So he obviously has tremendous potential, and the way he moves, the way he skates, the way he can handle the puck and see the game is top level.”