Connor Bedard has been the face of the Chicago Blackhawks since he arrived on the National Hockey League stage in 2023, and while the organization have struggled to put talent around him, he’s shown why he was the No. 1 overall pick.
This off-season, Bedard suffered an injury that would keep him out at least a month of the upcoming season, but following that, he stunned the hockey world after signing a five-year, $15 million AAV extension with the Original Six franchise. This comes weeks after Leo Carlsson signed a deal worth $3 million more, but with Bedard prioritizing Chicago’s future in signing his deal, he’s also called for the return of a franchise icon in the process.
Connor Bedard Believes Patrick Kane Should Return to Chicago
GettyPatrick Kane of the Detroit Red Wings.
That franchise icon would be Patrick Kane, who departed Chicago during the 2022/23 season following 16 seasons with the Blackhawks after he was also the No. 1 overall pick of the franchise way back in 2007. Since then, he spent half a season with the New York Rangers followed by three years with the Detroit Red Wings, and now, the 37-year-old is looking for his next, and potentially last home in the NHL.
Unsurprisingly, there’s plenty of interest from Chicago along with Kane’s hometown team in Buffalo, and now, Bedard has called for the franchise icon to return to the place he first called home in the NHL.
“I don’t know what I could say to persuade his decision, but we’d all be so excited to have a player like that,” said Bedard. “That would be incredible to get to play with him and learn from him. Hopefully he decides to come back. It would make us a way better team.”
As Bedard notes, this would be a positive for Chicago for several reasons, as Kane would not only make them a better team right now, but he’d also be a great mentor for Bedard and the other young players such as Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore and Anton Frondell.
Could Patrick Kane Make Chicago Better?
While he’s quickly nearing the end of his career, Kane was still relatively productive on an average Red Wings team a year ago, posting 16 goals and 57 points in 67 games for Detroit, and although Chicago don’t have much talent beyond No. 98, Kane would be a huge help in developing this young, improving core group.
From all reports, Kane departed the Blackhawks on good terms, and given what he means to the franchise, helping lead them to not one, not two but three Stanley Cups in his first tenure, he would be welcomed back with open arms, even if he isn’t the player that he once was during his prime with the organization. Right now, the Blackhawks are one of two favorites to land Kane, and while it’s no guarantee that he will return home to Chicago, with their current leader (and likely next captain) calling for him to return, that may just sway him to sign with the Blackhawks again as he looks to finish his NHL career on a high note.
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