The Red Wings announced Tuesday that they’ve placed right-winger Patrick Kane on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 23. He’s already missed four games with an upper-body injury and remains day-to-day, so he’s eligible to come off IR anytime.
Thus, his move to IR is only procedural and will only open up an additional roster spot for Detroit. Shortly before confirming Kane’s IR placement, the team said the open spot was used to recall defenseman William Lagesson from AHL Grand Rapids. The Red Wings’ active roster count remains at a maximum of 23.
The 2024-25 season has been difficult for the 36-year-old Kane, who has only three goals and seven assists for 10 points through 20 contests. The 2016 MVP and four-time All-Star is shooting at a career-low 7.5% clip and averaging a career-low 17:21 per game.
Kane’s struggles highlight a more significant issue with the Wings’ depth scoring, the lack of which is arguably the biggest reason why they remain one game below .500 and four points out of a playoff spot entering a pivotal matchup with the Atlantic Division rival Bruins tonight. He’s also been among Detroit’s worst players at controlling possession at even strength, logging a 41.9 CF% that sits 15th out of the 20 Red Wings skaters to play at least 10 games this season.
The Red Wings signed Kane to a one-year, $4MM extension in late June with up to $2.5MM in potential performance bonuses. He’s already earned $1.5MM in bonuses by hitting the 10-game mark, with an additional $250K possible if he hits 60 games. The remaining $750K can only be unlocked if Detroit makes the playoffs, which The Athletic gives just a three percent chance of happening.
Lagesson, 28, was recalled once earlier this season to serve as injury insurance on Nov. 18 against the Sharks but did not play. He was returned to Grand Rapids the following day.
After clearing waivers during training camp, Lagesson has posted two goals, three assists, five points, 14 PIMs, and a team-high +9 rating in 13 games with Grand Rapids. He has not played since Nov. 24 against Iowa after the AHL’s Player Safety Committee assessed him a three-game suspension for roughing Wild right-wing prospect Adam Raška. Lagesson has served that suspension and will be eligible to suit up for Grand Rapids again whenever the Red Wings reassign him.
As to why the Wings recalled Lagesson, he gives them an extra depth option on the blue line for their two-game divisional road swing this week. The 6’2″, 207-lb righty signed a one-year, one-way league minimum contract with Detroit in free agency over the summer after suiting up in a career-high 40 games with the Maple Leafs and Ducks last season.
I think Patrick Kane needs to hang it up after this season. Father Time has inevitably struck him & he’s a shell of himself as a player at this point in his career. Look no further than at his micro stats & that paints the picture.
In addition to the lack luster GF performance, I would suspect that there are other issues from behind the bench, perhaps now extending into the locker room. Three or four players who bring their A game nightly just isn’t enough in today’s NHL. No matter the level of skill or experience, the entire team has to bring their individual A games every night, no matter what that A game level is individually. Grueling? Yes, but that is the only path to playoffs. Tired of seeing constant dump outs with turn over, or dump ins with turnover. Puck control is just not there when they do have the puck. Does anyone else notice RW are never quite up on the fore checking, or are half a step behind? They’re burning games and points, can’t do that and remain in range of playoff contention.
Every night the Redwings have 4-5 players doing well and contributing and working hard. And every night there’s a whole group of players whose names are barely mentioned because they contribute so little to any offensive generation or to good defense. Kane was great for Detroit last year but it’s hurt the Wings that he isnt playing like that this year and now is injured. And now their goaltenders are hurt as well. The Wings simply suffer from too many mediocre players.