NHL EDGE stats: Kane’s upside for return to Blackhawks

NHL.com's fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we look at three underlying metrics surrounding Patrick Kane’s return to the Chicago Blackhawks.

1. Perimeter shots

Patrick Kane is returning to the Chicago Blackhawks on a two-year contract, rejoining the team he won three Stanley Cup titles (2010, 2013, 2015). Kane, who played 16 of his first 19 NHL seasons in Chicago, where he won many NHL Awards ranging from the Calder Trophy (2007-08) to the Hart Trophy (2015-16), Art Ross Trophy (2015-16) and Conn Smythe Trophy (2013). Kane has the most points (1,400 in 1,369 games) of any United States-born player in NHL history.

Kane was still a very productive offensive player last season with the Detroit Red Wings; despite being limited to 67 of Detroit’s 82 games, he ranked fourth on the team in goals (16), assists (41), points per game (0.85), even-strength goals (14), even-strength points (38) and game-winning goals (four). Kane, who will turn 38 years old on Nov. 19, was still among the NHL forward leaders in perimeter shot categories; he ranked in the 89th percentile in long-range shots on goal (19; 89th percentile) and 87th percentile in midrange shots on goal (59).

Kane, who was mostly a secondary scorer during his years in Detroit, could see top-line usage again for Chicago, which will be without top forward Connor Bedard (shoulder surgery) to start this season. Even when Bedard returns, Kane could play on his line and have similar or better point production to his time in Detroit (163 points in 189 games with Red Wings). From March 1 to the end of last regular season, Kane finished strong with 24 points in 22 games (second most on team in that span behind linemate Alex DeBrincat’s 27 points).

2. Power-play impact

Even with Bedard last season, the Blackhawks’ power play was fourth worst in the NHL (16.9 percent; 29th) and ranked last in the League from Dec. 1 to the end of the regular season (13.6), making it a potential area of improvement after the Kane signing. Kane should be a fixture on the first power-play unit before and after Bedard (No. 1 pick in 2023 NHL Draft) returns and could build chemistry with other talented members of Chicago’s young core. 

In addition to Bedard, the Blackhawks have other franchise building blocks in forwards Anton Frondell (No. 3 pick in 2025 NHL Draft; 19 years old), Frank Nazar (No. 13 pick in 2022 NHL Draft; 22 years old), Roman Kantserov (signed entry-level contract with Chicago on May 14; 21 years old) and Sacha Boisvert (No. 18 pick in 2024 NHL Draft; 20 years old), along with defensemen Artyom Levshunov (No. 2 pick in 2024 Draft; 20 years old), Bowen Byram (25 years old; acquired from Buffalo Sabres this offseason) and Sam Rinzel (No. 25 pick in 2022 Draft; 22 years old). It’s also worth noting three Blackhawks players were past teammates of Kane in Chicago (Alex Vlasic, Teuvo Teräväinen, Arvid Söderblom).

With Bedard’s injury timetable being four months following his surgery in July, Kane is likely to be one of the go-to offensive players on the first power-play unit in Bedard’s absence for the first month or so of the season. Kane, even in the later stages of his career, has been among the forward leaders in key advanced power-play metrics. Last season, Kane ranked in the 85th percentile in power-play offensive zone time percentage (61.7; NHL forward average: 55.5) and 90th percentile in power-play skating distance (31.17 miles) with the Red Wings. During the 2024-25 season, Kane ranked in the 94th percentile in power-play offensive zone time percentage (63.8) and 90th percentile in power-play skating distance (31.21 miles).

Kane, who ranks fourth among active players in career points, has had an elite wrist shot through the years; since the NHL began tracking shot types in 2009-10, Kane ranks third in wrist shot goals (275) behind Alex Ovechkin and John Tavares (281 each).

3. Skating speed

Kane surprisingly set his highest max skating speed of the puck and player tracking era (2021-22) last season with the Red Wings, reaching 22.80 mph (78th percentile among NHL forwards). It was Detroit’s second-fastest speed burst from all of last season behind forward Marco Kasper’s 22.84 mph. 

In terms of 18-20 mph speed bursts, Kane has ranked fairly high among forwards during the puck and player tracking era, including the 75th percentile at the position last season (473) and well above the NHL forward average (313.7). Last season, six of Kane’s 16 goals came off the rush (within five seconds of puck crossing the offensive blue line); he ranked fourth on the Red Wings in that category behind DeBrincat (13), Dylan Larkin (11) and Lucas Raymond (eight). Kane scored 10 of his 16 goals from high-danger areas, showing he’s still a savvy stickhandler and finisher around the net.

Although the Blackhawks are in a full-fledged rebuild, Kane’s return to Chicago comes with plenty of nostalgia and also offensive upside ahead of his 20th NHL season. The Blackhawks are the fourth-youngest roster in the NHL (average years: 26.46), and if Kane, Frondell and goalie Spencer Knight can help keep the team afloat with Bedard out, Chicago could emerge as one of the League’s up-and-coming teams after their superstar’s return.