Patrick Kane and Todd McLellan may not be done together in Detroit just yet.
That is the real takeaway from the latest Chris Johnston update. Kane has not fully shut the door on returning to the Red Wings, and that alone keeps this file alive.
It matters because Detroit is not dealing with a fringe winger here. Kane still gave the Red Wings real offense last season, even at 37.
Marqueur's 2025-26 line shows Kane finished with 16 goals and 41 assists for 57 points in 67 games. That is still top-six production, not a retirement lap.
He also hit a major milestone during the season. NHL.com notes Kane became the fifth U.S.-born player to score 500 NHL goals.
So when Johnston says the door is not fully closed, Detroit has every reason to keep listening and keep talking. A player with that kind of résumé and that kind of offense still changes a lineup.
Steve Yzerman's side of it is easy to understand too. McLellan is in place, the Red Wings still need skill on the wing, and Kane already knows the room.
" Chris Johnston: Re Patrick Kane: I know he hasn't fully closed the door on Detroit - Nielson Show (7/3) "
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Patrick Kane just received major confirmation about his future
That is the strongest angle here. Kane is not a long-build signing anymore. He is a win-now offensive piece, and Detroit is trying to get better fast, not wait around for perfect timing.
A short deal works for both sides. Kane gets another year in a familiar spot, and the Red Wings avoid clogging future cap and roster plans around an older scorer.
The fit on the ice still holds up. Kane can help the power play, slow a shift down when it gets messy, and give Detroit another puck carrier who does not panic under pressure.
That matters even more with Dylan Larkin uncertainty still hanging over the organization. If Detroit loses one major offensive piece, it gets even harder to let another one walk for nothing.
There is still risk, of course. Kane missed 15 games last season, and Detroit cannot build like he is going to carry a line every night. But that is not what a reunion would be about.
It would be about keeping a proven scorer in the mix while McLellan tries to push this team back into real contention. Detroit does not need Kane to be vintage Kane. It needs him to stay dangerous.
And based on the latest update, that outcome is still on the table. Patrick Kane has not fully closed the Detroit door, and for the Red Wings, that is enough to keep this story very much alive.
Should the Red Wings bring Patrick Kane back on another short deal?
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