Patrick Kane expressed his desire to the Detroit Red Wings after the season and the club wants him back. Free agency starts Tuesday at noon and there still is no deal.
General manager Steve Yzerman is confident he’ll get the future Hall of Famer signed, however.
“I still expect us to get a deal done with Patrick,” Yzerman said Saturday after the draft. “It’s a busy time for everyone. I’ve had some discussions with both Patrick and Pat Brisson, his agent. Once you get around the draft, the agents have a lot of other things they’re doing as well. So, I’m hopeful that we can get something done soon.”
Kane, 36, signed a one-year, $4 million extension the day before the start of free agency last year and earned an additional $1.75 million for games played bonuses.
He led the team in points per game (1.05) after Todd McLellan took over as coach (16 goals, 45 points in 43 games), thriving in a more aggressive offensive system. He averaged only 0.48 points per game in 29 games under Derek Lalonde (five goals, 14 points).