Grading Patrick Kane's Return to Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 NHL Playoffs

Patrick Kane was on pace to have one of the best seasons of his young career, but those plans were derailed when he broke his collarbone in February against the Florida Panthers.

The Chicago Blackhawks' superstar winger was originally supposed to miss between 10 and 12 weeks, but he made his return after eight weeks of inactivity. Getting Kane back early certainly was a plus, and it definitely paid off on Wednesday.

Kane's night certainly was an intriguing one to watch, and here are some grades for the Blackhawks' dynamic center after Chicago's impressive 4-3 double-overtime win against the Nashville Predators.

Conditioning

How many times over the course of the season do you read a tweet from a beat writer that goes something like this?

"

@BigShotReporter:

Amazing player, sidelined with hurt body part, wearing don't touch me jersey but continues to skate with the team.

"

Odds are you read tweets like this often, because players are always trying to keep their bodies in the best possible shape to make a smooth transition upon their returns. Unfortunately, none of this is an adequate substitute for actual gameplay because there are tons of intangible factors.

The situation of a game is a big one because the level of intensity impacts how much blood your heart is pumping, the rush of adrenaline and how your body naturally crashes after going into overdrive. Until you get back into the saddle, there's no knowing how your body is going to react, but Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks have a good idea of that going forward.

In his first game back, Kane held his own and played 15 minutes and 56 seconds during regulation. He then played an additional 7:12 spread over two overtime periods for a total of 23:08.

During the first period, it was noticeable that he was trying to get his legs under him, but who can blame him? It was evident as he dug his skates into the ice to take long and powerful strides before gliding for a stretch across the ice.

Kane wasn't 100 percent at this point, but that changed during the second period. After the first period, he was "moving his feet" with some frequency, and he was able to use his mobility to win puck battles and generate puck possession. 

By the third period, he had found a rhythm, and he was motoring along just like everyone else. Once overtime came around, he appeared to catch a second wind, and he almost ended it during the first extra set of 20 minutes, but Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne waffleboarded a shot away from the net. 

All in all, Kane looked pretty good for a guy who was playing in his first game in two months, and it is certainly a good sign for him going forward.

Grade: B+

Positioning

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Kane's positioning helps him shield the puck.

One of the biggest advantages Patrick Kane has when he is on the ice is his ability to sneak into the right position and make plays out of nowhere. Marian Gaborik of the Los Angeles Kings is another notable forward who does this, except Gaborik usually gets into position to shoot the puck. 

Kane puts himself in a position to take a pass, and then he goes to work quickly. There were a number of sequences on the power play when Kane played catch with the puck while cycling up the wall. He was able to keep the Nashville Predators on their toes, and in the process they got to a point where they couldn't skate.

He ultimately spearheaded a sequence that got the puck to Jonathan Toews, and the Blackhawks' captain took it to the net and scored.

There were also situations in which Kane would cheat in when there was a battle for the puck along the boards in the corners behind Nashville's net, and he was able to keep the play alive. Kane is a smart hockey player and sees plays before they happen. Assimilating back into the lineup was never a major concern, and he proved that with strong positional play in Game 1.

Grade: A

Defense

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Patrick Kane is known for his run-and-gun offensive ability, and no one will ever confuse him with Patrice Bergeron. From time to time there are people who try to make a big deal about his defensive ability (or lack thereof), but in reality it doesn't amount to much.

In Game 1, he was on the ice for one goal against, but that was during the first period after Michal Rozsival was bumbling and stumbling on his skates while he created a wide-open lane for Nashville's Colin Wilson. Kane was engaged a few times while he had to skate with the puck, and he showed composure and not hastiness trying to get rid of the hot potato. 

The best way to describe Kane's efforts in this area is that nothing major stood out, and that is what you want from a player like Kane.

Grade: B

Offense

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

The name of Patrick Kane's game is offense, and boy did the Blackhawks look better with him flanking Brad Richards with Kris Versteeg on the opposite wing. Kane held his own during even-strength situations, but he made his biggest impact on the power play.

The Blackhawks scored two power-play goals, and Kane picked up a primary assist on both. His first was a beautiful cross-ice pass that he ladled to Patrick Sharp, and his second was a bit of a give-and-go with Jonathan Toews. 

There were a couple of other opportunities on the power plays in which Chicago didn't score, and some of them came off of Kane's stick. He recorded a total of four shots on the night and had a few blocked, but he kept pressing. His shot in the first overtime period was a howitzer that was daftly edged aside by Pekka Rinne.

The Blackhawks offense certainly looked better as a whole with Kane in the lineup, and that is primarily because the team adopted a defensive style in his absence, according to Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune. 

Now that Kane is back, the Blackhawks can play the way they are accustomed to, and there certainly will be adjustments made accordingly as he gets more comfortable. The only thing Kane could have done better is score, but his assists certainly were more than enough.

Grade: A

Overall

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

You couldn't have asked for more out of Patrick Kane for his first game back. He handled the double-overtime game well for someone who hasn't played in two months, and that was something that became less of a factor as the game went on.

When he had the puck on his stick, he made smart decisions, took some quality shots and executed crisp passes that ultimately ended up in the back of the net. 

It was a surprise to see him come back this early, but there appeared to be nothing wrong with his collarbone based on how he handled physical contact. He actively sought out opportunities to go after the puck, which showed that he isn't protecting his collarbone. 

The return of Kane ahead of schedule could prove to be a huge X-factor for Chicago, and Game 2 should provide another test for him to see how he follows up his first game back in the lineup. The first game is easy because there's a tendency to get amped up on adrenaline, but the second game is an adjustment and when you truly come back to Earth.

Grade: A-

Stats via NHL.com's GameCenter Ice Tracker. Linked GIFs by Stephanie Vail, AKA @myregularface.