Photos: Patrick Kane returns to the Chicago Blackhawks<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The Hawks brought back Kane, who spent the first 15-plus seasons of his career in Chicago, signing the future Hall of Famer to a two-year, $16 million contract<\/a> Thursday to return to the franchise that drafted him No. 1 in 2007.<\/p>\n He\u2019ll look to add to his Hawks numbers \u2014 446 goals, 779 assists and 1,225 points. The stats each rank in the top three in franchise history.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s great to be a Blackhawk again,\u201d he said Friday.\u00a0\u201cI appreciate everything (Davidson) had to deal with the last few weeks, just with taking my time and going through the process and the decision.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously the story\u2019s great, coming back to Chicago and being a Blackhawk again, where I spend my summers and Chicago being my home.\u201d<\/p>\n The Hawks in February 2023 traded Kane to the New York Rangers, and he spent the last three seasons with the Detroit Red Wings.<\/p>\n Column: Patrick Kane\u2019s return to the Chicago Blackhawks is a marketing coup \u2014 but will it help them win?<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n After signing his contract Thursday, Kane skated through reps<\/a> at the Blackhawks Ice Center in a Hawks sweater. The forward said his second Hawks stint is no farewell tour, noting that his motivation is to help a developing team.<\/p>\n \u201cMost importantly, it was just about coming to a team where I think I can fit in well, a team that\u2019s on the rise, a team that\u2019s looking to make some big steps forward and trying to make the playoffs,\u201d Kane said. \u201cI talked about all that other stuff (and) I think all that\u2019s great, but that\u2019s not why I\u2019m here.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not like I\u2019m just coming back home to ride off into the sunset or whatever it is. I want to be a big player here and help the team win.\u201d<\/p>\n The Hawks, though, appear to be further away from competing than the club he decided against joining, the Sabres. Kane is a Buffalo, N.Y., native, and the Sabres last season ended a 14-year postseason drought. The Hawks have missed the playoffs six consecutive seasons and eight of nine.<\/p>\n In the end, he chose the Hawks.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s always in the back of your mind, I don\u2019t know if I ever really thought (coming back) was possible,\u201d Kane said. \u201cIt got to the point (around free agency) where I wanted to see what was out there and what teams would be interested.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Chicago showed their interest, it really got me interested as well. You start looking at the team, the potential and where they\u2019re at as a group, it really made sense and seemed like a perfect fit for me.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s a change of pace for Davidson, who previously had brushed off a Kane reunion. That was a different time for Davidson, and the needs of his team led him to sway his opinion on bringing back the forward.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were much more at the outset of this whole project (when Kane was traded), and now that we\u2019ve got some of these draft picks, (they\u2019ve) established themselves (and) continue to grow within the NHL,\u201d Davidson said. \u201cFrom an organizational standpoint and roster standpoint, the time was right.<\/p>\n \u201c(I want to) be very clear that we\u2019re bringing (Kane) in to contribute to the hockey team here \u2014 the return is a very nice aspect of it, but it\u2019s not the core reason. We\u2019re bringing him in to make our team better, which we firmly believe that he does do.\u201d<\/p>\n The Hawks completed most of their offseason tasks in July. They extended star center Connor Bedard<\/a>, signed winger help in Kane and traded for and extended defenseman Bowen Byram<\/a>. Frank Nazar\u2019s seven-year, $46.13 million extension<\/a> kicks in this season, and Kane signaled his desire to develop chemistry with the 22-year-old.<\/p>\n\n
![\"Chicago](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/CTC-L-Patrick-Kane-returns-016_265035599.jpg\")
Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane high-fives his son, Patrick Kane III, at a news conference Friday, July 24, 2026, the Blackhawks Ice Center. (Arthur Maiorella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n