FILE - New York Rangers right wing Patrick Kane (88) skates against the New Jersey Devils in the first period of Game 3 of the team's NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Saturday, April 22, 2023, in New York. Patrick Kane is signing with the Detroit Red Wings, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023.(AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)
There’s a good chance the San Jose Sharks will face forward and three-time first-team NHL all-star Patrick Kane on Thursday when they play the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena.
More than a week after signing with Detroit as a free agent, Kane said Monday after his first full practice with the team that he was hoping to make his season debut inside the Red Wings sparkling home arena later in the week.
It just so happens that the Sharks, who have had some trouble this season keeping the puck out of their net, are in town.
“The thigh feels pretty good,” Kane told reporters on Monday. “I think the biggest thing is just going to be getting up to game speed and NHL speed again. … I’m hoping Thursday.”
After dealing with a nagging hip injury during the 2022-2023 season when he played with both the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers, Kane, 35, underwent resurfacing surgery on the hip on June 1 and was expected to miss four to six months.
As his recovery was nearing completion last month, Kane, then a free agent, began talking to a handful of teams that were interested in signing him, such as the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Florida Panthers, and his hometown Buffalo Sabres.
Ultimately, Kane, who has an estimated $115 million in career earnings, per CapFriendly, chose to sign a one-year deal with the Red Wings on Nov. 28 worth a prorated $2.75 million.
Detroit, which hasn’t made the playoffs since 2016 — the year Kane won the Hart Trophy – enters Thursday with a 14-7-3 record.
Patrick Kane hopes to debut as a Red Wing Thursday, he doesn’t expect to play Tuesday.
Derek Lalonde echoes: “Tomorrow is a little ambitious, we’ll get him through morning skate tomorrow and then practice Wednesday and go from there.” pic.twitter.com/f1aZ9UIyum
— Jeanna Trotman (@JeannaTrotmanTV) December 4, 2023
Kane admitted it’s going to be a challenge to play at a high level right off the bat.
“The exciting thing is my body feels good, so that’s a big step in that direction,” Kane said. “It might take some games to get up to speed and just playing at this level, so if it takes a couple of weeks, that’s what it is. We’ll get there eventually.”
Kane has already built a Hockey Hall of Fame caliber resume, as he’s second only to Mike Modano in scoring among U.S.-born players with 1,237 points and won Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks in 2010, 2013, and 2015.
Two seasons ago, Kane had 26 goals and 66 assists in 78 games.
In 47 career regular-season games against the Sharks, Kane has 12 goals and 26 assists. When the Blackhawks played the Sharks in the 2010 Western Conference final, Kane had five assists in what was a four-game sweep by Chicago.
The Sharks are 4-2-1 on their last seven games and have moved into 31st place in the NHL’s overall standings with a 7-17-2 and 16 points, one point ahead of Chicago (7-16-1).
Originally published at Curtis Pashelka