The Detroit Red Wings have already been without veteran forward Patrick Kane for four consecutive games, and the squad will be without the three-time Stanley Cup champion for at least a little bit longer. Kane was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday, retroactive to November 23, the team announced.
The 36-year-old American has been battling an upper-body injury and will miss a fifth straight tilt against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Tuesday. Despite the lengthy absence for the skilled forward, head coach Derek Lalonde said Kane remains day-to-day and is eligible to come off IR anytime.
The bench boss hopes that will happen as soon as Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators in Canada’s capital. In a corresponding move, the team used the open spot to recall William Lagesson from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids. The Red Wings’ active roster count remains at a maximum of 23.
It’s been a difficult season for Kane; the four-time All-Star is shooting at a career-low 7.5 percent clip and has only averaged 17:21 of ice time per game — also a career-low. Over 20 games in 2024-25, he’s managed to chip in just three goals and 10 points.
Patrick Kane, Red Wings continue to struggle mightily
Along with Kane, the Red Wings are facing significant issues in 2024-25. The team is having an extremely tough time scoring goals, one of the main reasons they’re a game below .500 at 10-11-3 and a full four points back of the final wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference.
Kane hasn’t pulled his weight in his 18th NHL season, logging a 41.9 CF percentage that is 15th out of the 20 Detroit skaters to play at least 10 games this season, per Pro Hockey Rumors’ Josh Erickson.
The Wings signed the former superstar to a one-year, $4 million extension late in June, with up to $2.5 million in potential performance bonuses. When he returns to the lineup — which Red Wings fans hope is Thursday night — he’ll look to help the club escape a funk that has led to two consecutive losses and six defeats in nine games dating back to November 15.
Making matters worse for the Atlantic Division bottom-feeders, the Wings are down both Cam Talbot and Alex Lyon, with Ville Husso recently being called up. He’s likely to start in Boston on Tuesday, a less than ideal scenario for a team that absolutely needs good goaltending to have success.
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The 28-year-old Lagesson has posted two goals and five points over 13 games in Grand Rapids. It’s unknown whether he will earn a place in the lineup in Massachusetts on Tuesday, but more likely, he’s just injury insurance in case anyone else goes down.
The way things stand, the Red Wings aren’t looking like anything close to a playoff team in the East. Kane returning to the lineup and beginning to produce like he’s done in the past should go a long way in helping the Original Six franchise return to relevance in 2024-25. But whether that will happen at this point in Kane’s career is up in the air.
Puck drops between Detroit and Boston just past 7:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
