Patrick Kane Has Surgery on Hip Injury; Rangers Free Agent Out 4-6 Months

Patrick Kane will be recovering for an expected four to six months after he underwent hip resurfacing surgery Thursday, per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

That timeline means Kane could be ready to play at the start of the 2023-24 season. Kane's agent, Pat Brisson, said the 34-year-old "wants to play for a long time," Friedman reported.

Kane, an impending unrestricted free agent, was traded to the New York Rangers in February on the final season of an eight-year, $84 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Kane's potential absence for the first two months of next season could add a wrinkle to negotiations for the future Hall of Famer's next contract.

The last time Kane penned a deal, he was coming off championship wins in 2010 and 2013. At a $10.5 million average annual value, his eight-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks marked the most expensive contract in NHL history when it began in 2015-16, just after Kane and the Blackhawks celebrated their third title in five seasons.

Eight years later, both Kane's play and his earning potential look different.

The star winger turns 35 in November and finished last season with 57 points, a full-season career low. He is still a prolific scorer—Kane recorded his 15th 20-goal campaign despite the mid-season move—but is a slower skater and drives possession less regularly. During the Rangers' disappointing first-round exit, he was held to just one goal in seven games against the New Jersey Devils.

Kane's former teammate Jonathan Toews, whose matching deal with Kane also expires this offseason, is considering retirement due to ongoing health issues. Kane, however, wants to keep playing.

Kane said before last season's trade deadline that he wants to play with the Rangers. New York, a team in the midst of a search for a new head coach, must decide if it is worth working out a new deal with the star winger, even given his nebulous start date for next season.