It's Showtime in HockeyTown: Patrick Kane is signing with the Detroit Red Wings, according to multiple reports.
Kane, a nine-time All-Star, underwent hip resurfacing surgery in the offseason and was waiting to make a full recovery to choose a team as a free agent. He was reportedly down to the Red Wings and Panthers, and chose Detroit in part to reunite with his close friend and former linemate with the Blackhawks Alex DeBrincat.
Kane and DeBrincat lit it up over five seasons together in Chicago, with Kane ranking fourth in the NHL in points and DeBrincat eighth in goals over that span. With center Dylan Larkin, they could form an All-American first line in Detroit. The trio has played together at the World Championships for Team USA.
Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde also played a key role in bringing Kane to Detroit, with Kane reportedly impressed with Lalonde's "hockey acumen and vision" for the team.
It's a bold move by Yzerman, reflective of his team's strong start. The Wings are third in the Atlantic and fourth in the East at the 20-game mark, trailing only the Rangers, Bruins and Panthers as they try to snap a franchise-worst seven-year playoff drought.
Kane saw a dip in production last season while playing through his hip injury, but still managed 57 points in 73 games with the Blackhawks and Rangers -- incidentally the Wings' next two opponents. He had 92 points in 78 games the season before that. He's eighth in the NHL among wingers in points per game over his last five seasons.
Maybe most notably, Kane will boost Detroit's power play, which already ranks ninth in the NHL. That's important for a team that has placed a premium on winning the special teams battle; the Wings have gone as their power play has gone for most of this season.
It remains to be seen how Kane, 35, fares after his offseason operation. Few, if any, NHL players have had the same procedure and come out better on the other side. But Yzerman, Lalonde and the Wings believed in Kane enough to give him a shot, and who can blame them? The Red Wings used to collect superstars like candy.
They're about to unwrap another, as they try to discard a losing era of hockey.