Alex DeBrincat played major role in Patrick Kane's final decision to join Red Wings

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Nov 29, 2023 06:58 GMT

Patrick Kane is finally a Red Wing after a long wait and months of rumors and speculations surrounding his future. The Detroit Red Wings signed the three-time Stanley Cup winner to a one-year, $2.75 million contract on Tuesday.

Kane, who celebrated his 35th birthday on Nov. 19, is coming off hip surgery that he underwent in June. The Red Wings were one of the teams that were linked to Kane, and now the 2016 Hart Trophy winner will play for the 11-time Stanley Cup winners.

Kane will be joined by a familiar face on the Red Wings lineup. He will reunite with his old teammate and linemate Alex DeBrincat. Notably, both Kane and DeBrincat were teammates for five seasons while playing for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Moreover, it was DeBrincat who apparently played a key role in helping Kane choose the Red Wings over other suitors such as the Florida Panthers:

"Just kind of gave him my experience on how the organization is, how we’re treated here, the depth of our team,” DeBrincat said. “I feel like we have a really good group here, so just kind of giving him my experiences so far and kind of feeling him out and seeing what he was looking for.”

DeBrincat also said that he was in contact with Kane throughout the process:

"I feel like I’ve been keeping up with him all year to see how he’s doing,” DeBrincat said. “I think it’s more important that he’s feeling well and rejuvenated. I know he’s missing hockey, so it’s good to see him close to return.”

For Blackhawks fans, Kane may have become an enemy by joining their biggest rivals, but Red Wings fans are ecstatic and eager to see Patrick Kane play and help the franchise reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Red Wings beat many suitors to sign Patrick Kane

Seattle Kraken v Chicago Blackhawks

Patrick Kane was the biggest free agent in the NHL market. During the offseason, he underwent hip resurfacing surgery, which delayed his signing with a new team.

However, one thing remained constant: Kane wanted to play for a Stanley Cup-contesting team. Many teams, including the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Florida Panthers, among others, expressed their interest in bringing the three-time Stanley Cup winner on board.

However, it was the Detroit Red Wings who beat everyone and successfully got Patrick Kane's signature. With Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin, it will be interesting to see how the Red Wings' forwards transform with the addition of Kane moving forward in the season.