The Detroit Red Wings hope to have their feet under them on December 31st when they welcome the Winnipeg Jets to town. However, this game will not be any ordinary game to close out the 2025 calendar year. This matchup will see former teammates Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane go one-on-one for the first time.
Toews signed with his hometown Jets this summer after two seasons away from the game. He tried balancing hockey while dealing with chronic inflammatory response syndrome as well as long COVID. In April 2023, he played his final game with the Chicago Blackhawks, and stepped away from the game to focus on his health.
In November 2023, Kane signed with the Red Wings on a one-year contract. He had rehabbed from hip resurfacing surgery during the summer. And he was hoping to revive his career with the Winged Wheel.
New Year’s Eve will see these two former teammates cross paths. That will be interesting to watch for any hockey fan. At the current moment, though, Kane is simply happy to see his friend making a return to the league.
“I think it’s awesome. Obviously with what he’s been through, to be able to put himself in a position to come back and be feeling good, I think that’s the most important thing,” Kane told ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski. “It could be really a great story for the NHL and for the franchise and for him and his family. So I’m excited about watching him.”
Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane Dominated The NHL
Patrick McDermott/Getty ImagesPatrick Kane and Jonathan Toews led the way for the Chicago Blackhawks dynasty of the mid-2010s.
Both Kane and Toews could have ended their careers after the 2022-23 season. They had both carved out a Hall of Fame resume thanks to their time with the Blackhawks. They were the focal point of the NHL’s most recent dynasty, after all.
Kane and Toews led Chicago to three Stanley Cups in five seasons from 2010 to 2015. They never won a Cup in back-to-back seasons. However, they still had a death grip on the Stanley Cup during this time.
Kane was the best playmaker in the league during this time. He scored 129 goals and 327 points in 332 games while the Blackhawks dominated. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2013 when Chicago defeated the Boston Bruins in six games.
Toews, meanwhile, scored 140 goals and 315 points in 343 games during this time. The then-Blackhawks captain won the Conn Smythe in 2010 and the Selke Trophy in 2013.
Could Kane Ditch Red Wings, Go Home To End Career?
There was some speculation that Kane could have gone home himself when he was a free agent in 2023. The future Hall of Famer is a native of Buffalo, New York. And the Buffalo Sabres were interested in him at the time.
Wyshynski directly asked Kane about the possibility of leaving Detroit for Buffalo. It’s something that’s likely on the mind of the 36-year-old. For now, though, he is happy with the Red Wings.
“I feel like I’ve been pretty fortunate with the franchises that I’ve played for. Chicago. New York (Rangers) was a great experience, even though it didn’t work as well as I’d hoped. Now, Detroit,” Kane said. “I mean, I’ve really, really enjoyed my time there. It’s been a great place to kind of revive my career and play in a good situation and be on a team that’s on the rise.”
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