Steve Yzerman's message that p...

The more time passed, the more Patrick Kane realized he wanted to come back and do more.

His decision on the eve of free agency to return to the Detroit Red Wings was a big win for the organization, and it came after Kane heard what general manager Steve Yzerman had to say about the direction of the team: That it needed to be a squad with the potential to build on last season, when the chase for a playoff spot lasted all the way till Game 82.

"We all want to build on last year," Kane said last week. "That was the message I got as well. I think there’s definitely expectations going into this season, and that’s always a good thing — you want those expectations. You want, whether it’s the fans or the media or just players in general, to expect the team, the organization, to take the next step. I’m excited to be a part of that and hopefully have a chance to have a good regular season and play playoff hockey again."

Those expectations took a hit when plans to sign free agent Steven Stamkos did not pan out, instead prompting the signing of another free agent, Vladimir Tarasenko. Stamkos, who spent nearly a decade playing under Yzerman during their days with the Tampa Bay Lightning, would have given the Wings a top-line center, while Tarasenko is a big-bodied winger and former 40-goal scorer.

To end what has become an eight-year playoff drought, the Wings will need their goaltending to hold up, and likewise, the health of the players. On the plus side, this year they'll begin the season with Kane in the lineup, and Kane will be coming in having trained normally during the summer. His previous summer was disrupted by invasive hip surgery on June 1, 2023, which delayed his readiness to play until early December. Once he did, he showed he was still the superstar who won three Stanley Cups during a 16-season stint with the Chicago Blackhawks, producing 47 points in 50 games with the Wings.

"I feel really good, really happy with how I’m feeling and the hip becoming part of the body," Kane said. "I'm feeling fresh.  My goal is to take it to another level next year. I think for me personally, having a full training camp and coming in healthy and feeling good will be big for me and big for the team. Staying healthy and being healthy going into this season is just huge."

Kane, who will turn 36 in November, electrified Little Caesars Arena with his ability to be a game-changer. When the season ended and he did his April exit interview with reporters, he was non-committal about where he next would play — going back to Chicago seemed an option — but as July 1 approached, re-signing appealed more and more. Rather than uproot his family again, Kane decided to deepen roots in an area he has liked since playing for Honeybaked and the U.S. National Team Development Program as a teenager.

"For me, my heart was set on coming to Detroit and being back in Detroit," he said. "I thought it was a good fit last year. Love the team. We were really comfortable living there. I think the suburbs of Detroit are unbelievable. I lived there when i was 14, but when I came back, I didn’t realize how nice they were, and what a great spot it is to live, raise a family. You have a lot of options, whether it’s playing hockey or the schools at your disposal. I really like how the rink is set up with having the practice rink and the game rink all in one venue.

"The organization treats you first class. There’s really a lot of good things going if you’re a free agent or if you’re a player and you want to come to the Red Wings, there’s a lot of positives."

On June 30, Kane signed a one-year deal with a $4 million base salary and $2.5 million in bonuses. That was seven months to the day he first arrived at LCA, stepping out of a taxi and straight into a crowd of delighted Blackhawks fans, who were in town for the evening's game against the Wings. Kane made his debut one week later, marking the start of what was something of a test for both sides — Could Kane still play? Could he help the Wings? — that turned into a success story.

"I loved the fans, I thought the fans really embraced me," Kane said. "You never really know what to expect, especially with me being in Chicago for so long, and coming to Detroit. I know that’s a huge rivalry. But the embrace of the fans was incredible. And it’s not only about me: I feel it was a good fit for me, but I also feel it was a good fit for the team. I think the LCA is just an amazing place to play. I can’t even imagine what it would be like in the playoffs. So I’m really looking forward to that."