Patrick Kane, Red Wings Agree to $3M Contract Extension Ahead of NHL Free Agency

Patrick Kane is back for a third season with the Detroit Red Wings.

Kane and the Red Wings agreed to a $3 million extension on Monday, one day before the start of free agency.

Kane spent the 2024-25 season skating opposite former Chicago Blackhawks teammate Alex DeBrincat on Marco Kasper's wing on the Red Wings' second line.

He recorded 21 goals and 38 assists for 59 points in 72 games as the Red Wings came short of the playoffs for a ninth straight season.

Detroit climbed the standings enough to compete for a wild-card spot in February, but it slipped out of postseason contention in part because of the team's struggles to score at even strength.

Kane himself scored nine goals at even strength, the lowest full-season total of his 18-year NHL career.

But the Red Wings have reasons to be optimistic about improving next season amid the rise of young players such as Kasper alongside up-and-coming stars like Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider.

Another step forward from the Red Wings' young stars and a rebound season from Kane could help Detroit contend for a playoff spot next spring.

Kane, who is heading into his age-37 campaign, spent his first 16 NHL seasons and won three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks. He was briefly traded to the New York Rangers, then underwent hip resurfacing surgery in June 2023.

He signed his first contract with the Red Wings that November, then became the third NHL player to successfully return from the procedure when he made his Detroit debut in December 2023.