Connor Bedard has made no secret of what he would like to see happen next: Patrick Kane back in Chicago. The Blackhawks centre said a reunion with the 37-year-old free agent would be “incredible”, adding that Kane would make the team better straight away and give the fanbase a huge lift.
The timing makes the comment even more striking. Bedard signed a five-year, $75 million contract with Chicago just two days before speaking about Kane, while his own shoulder surgery means he is expected to be out until November. That leaves the Blackhawks’ current franchise cornerstone watching from the sidelines as one of the most important names in club history weighs up his future.
Patrick Kane is deciding between Chicago and Buffalo, according to Chris Chelios, and the possibility of a return is now very much alive. For Bedard, the appeal is obvious. Kane is Chicago’s all-time points leader with 1,400 points, built from 508 goals and 892 assists in 1,369 career games, and his résumé includes three Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe Trophy, a Hart Trophy, a Ted Lindsay Award and an Art Ross Trophy.
Bedard sees the hockey fit immediately
Bedard’s point was not just about nostalgia. He said Kane would make the Blackhawks “a way better team” and called him “an amazing player”, while also stressing the learning opportunity that would come with sharing a dressing room and the ice with him.
He also spoke about the reaction Kane would get in Chicago, saying he could not imagine his first game back at the United Center and the energy it would create for both the team and the supporters. In Bedard’s view, that alone would be worth the attention.
A reunion built on legacy and urgency
The wider context matters. Chicago selected Bedard with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, and the 2023-24 Calder Trophy winner is already being positioned as the next face of the franchise. Kane, meanwhile, helped the Blackhawks win Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015, becoming one of the defining figures of the club’s modern era.
That history explains why the possibility of a return carries so much weight. Bedard said he is hoping Kane becomes a Blackhawk again and suggested he still has “2-3 years” left in him. For a team trying to build something new without losing sight of its past, that is the attraction: Kane would not just be a sentimental addition, but a player who could help bridge the gap between eras.
Whether the veteran chooses Chicago or Buffalo, the decision will shape the next chapter of his career. But Bedard has already made his position clear. If Kane does come back, he believes it would be incredible.
