Patrick Kane and the Red Wings plan to run it back for a third season.
While it hasn't happened as quickly as some may have imagined, Steve Yzerman said Saturday after the conclusion of the NHL Draft that he's been in contact with Kane and his agent throughout the offseason and that "I still expect us to get a deal done" soon.
"It’s a busy time for everyone," Yzerman said, with free agency set to begin July 1. "I’ve had some discussions with both Patrick and his agent. And once you get around the draft, the agents have a lot of other things they’re doing as well, so I’m hopeful that we can get something done soon and that’s my intention. We’ll see if we can’t get that done shortly."
Kane was fourth on the Red Wings in scoring last season with 21 goals and 59 points. He led the team with six game-winning goals and was a key cog on a power play that finished fourth in the NHL.
He's likely to sign a similar deal to the one he did last summer, with easily-attainable performance bonuses to keep the cap hit low. Last season's deal was a one-year pact worth $4 million, with Kane earning an extra $1.5 million for playing in 10 games and $250,000 more for playing in 60.
Since joining the Red Wings midway through the 2023-24 season following hip surgery, Kane has 41 goals and 106 points in 122 games.
Yzerman also addressed the possibility of the Red Wings buying out one of their underperforming veterans, with the buyout window closing on Monday. In short: don't count on it.
The three clearest candidates would be forward Vladimir Tarasenko and defensemen Justin Holl and Erik Gustafsson, with all three players entering the final seasons of their contracts.
Buying out Tarasenko, who has a $4.75 million cap hit, would save the Red Wings $3.2 million in cap space this season and cost them $1.6 million next.
Buying out Holl ($3.4 million cap hit) would save them $2.7 million this season and cost them $1.1 million next. And buying out Gustafsson ($2 million cap hit) would save them $1.3 million this year and cost $667,000 next.
"I don’t, as of now, expect to do that, to buy anybody out at this point," said Yzerman.
Yzerman backed both Tarasenko and Gustafsson after last season and said he expects more out of them next year. It doesn't sound like he's changed his mind.