In tonight’s Original Six matchup between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, an injury took place in the first period that may change the trajectory of Detroit’s season. Early on in the period, the Red Wings announced that forward Patrick Kane would not return to the game due to a lower-body injury.
The injury in question took place over two moments, with Pontus Holmberg delivering a solid body check to Kane along the boards, and Holmberg once again guiding Kane into a collision with the net in the Red Wings’ defensive zone.
Obviously, with the nature of the collisions, and Kane’s past injury history, Detroit’s main concern will be with Kane’s hip. Infamously, this past summer, Kane became one of a handful of players to undergo hip resurfacing surgery, delaying his eventual return to the NHL until December 7th.
If Kane is set to miss time away with this injury, it would be a tremendous blow to a Red Wings team that had just recently rebounded from a slow stretch in December. After a 2-8-1 showing in Kane’s first 11 games with Detroit, the team holds a 5-1-1 record in their last seven contests.
Since signing a one-year contract with the Red Wings back on November 28th, Kane has scored seven goals and 16 points in 18 games, with four of those points coming on Detroit’s powerplay. Although sitting 20th on the team in games played, Kane has climbed up to 14th on the team in scoring.
In Detroit’s view, there will be a lot of hope coming from the organization that Kane does not miss any action beyond tonight’s game against the Maple Leafs. However, although Kane has silenced many doubters in his return from hip resurfacing surgery, the poor track record of the surgery in the NHL still looms large.
Not sure if losing Kane longterm would be a huge blow, The Red Wings have a losing record with him in the lineup and that will continue with or without him until Yzerman Improves the blueline and goaltending. The Wings don’t need Kane but they miss Hronek.
Just tell us all you don’t watch the red wings play ever.
The Wings and Leafs are both pedestrian teams right now and the Wings are far more talented top to bottom.
This guy
You are welcome!
Wings won w/o Kane and James Reimer got a sweet revenge win against the Leafs!!!
I was pulling for Detroit as well, Toronto ‘s management is clueless!
What time tomorrow will Keefe be cleaning out his office?
LOL, And the next day he will be on Dubas’s staff!
As it turns out, The Maple Leafs security is actually tougher than Bertuzzi, Domi, And Reaves!
Can we ask to ban you?
Ask away!
I see a Vegas/Panthers rematch for the Cup, doesn’t matter what Leafs or Wings do. They have the two best (long, large, and hard to play against) D corps, built perfectly to get through 4 playoff series.
No other teams match their length and D Depth.
Regular season observations are for fools.
Always look through the lens of Playoff play.
So many fans fall for the Regular Season mirage.
No profile Wilf is surely not an analytical thinker, but he is always good for a chuckle.
100% agree panthers will get there. Not as confident vegas will get back.
Based, I think that LA and the Nucks will absolutely have a say in where Vegas ends up, I agree.
Wilf, it’s true that the regular season can be a mirage, but these teams didn’t just sit on their hands after last year. It’s going to be exciting to see how the improvements they made show in the playoffs.
I think the Panthers might, but Vegas kinda coasted off going $7+ million over the cap last year with the LTIR Capless playoff loophole, for Stone to magically be ready for game 1 of the first round, clear cap circumvention
Vegas’s blueline depth is tops in the NHL,I picked Carolina vs. Dallas back in September as this season’s to playoff finalists but certainly Vegas and Florida could be the two last teams standing.
Hopefully Kane is ok.
Not sure what Vegas or Florida has to do with this article. Wings and Toronto being pedestrian teams might be true, at this moment, and in this season. However, it takes some foundation building to get to a top tier position, how soon we forget the past few years in the basement. Building steps, are just that, steps. Getting into any playoff position is the next step. Injuries are what tests the building foundation’s strength. Both within the active roster and the AHL call ups. A huge step taken was in the goal. Husso for whatever reason, maybe a nagging injury, had gone flat and they continued to start him way too much. Reimer should have been brought in sooner, and of course Lyon is playing the best game so far. Take it easy on the RW, they are building, and the benefits may not be apparent for another season or two. But without the building and struggles, there won’t be a better finish to look forward to.