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A Trending Statement Is Sparking Mixed Feelings On The Impact Of Patrick Kane's Return

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Graham Montgomery
November 16, 2023 (9:46 PM)

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Now that Patrick Kane is finally ready to return to the NHL the contract negotiations with teams are starting to pick up steam. However, not everyone is convinced Kane can still be an effective player in the league.

Concerning Statement Made About Kane's Health

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Kane had hip resurfacing surgery in the offseason. The procedure is notoriously difficult for professional athletes to recover from. As X user McCluskey points out, there are not any favorable comparable situations to compare Kane to.

"There is no precedent for an NHL player returning to form once they've recovered. In fact, before Ed Jovanovski underwent the procedure in 2014 and came back to play another 37 games before retiring, there was no precedent for any professional athlete returning to play at all."

Jovanovski is not the only NHL player to attempt to comeback from the procedure. In fact, one player who was active earlier this season, Washington's Nik Backstrom, had the procedure done in the 2022 offseason.

"Backstrom's had his surgery in June 2022 and it was considered to be a great success; the best case scenario. Backstrom even claimed at one point to feel 100%. Unfortunately, Backstrom's not been himself since returning and just last week announced he would be taking time away from the game."

Backstrom played just 8 games this season, recording a single assist while averaging career low ice-time.

Kane To Finish Career On LTIR?

McCluskey went on to talk about how Kane could potentially end up on long term injured reserve, especially if he signs a multi-year deal with his next team. The team would be able to keep him stashed on LTIR so there would not be a cap penalty but obviously teams are looking to sign Kane to play for them, not just to collect a check every two weeks.

"This is the reality of the procedure. It's severe. If I know this, and you know this, you'd better believe Kane's agent Pat Brisson knows this. You have to think Brisson's focused on a deal for Kane that provides financial security - dollars and term - in case Kane's not the player he used to be, or in case he can't continue to play at all."

So far no one has really talked about the possibility that Kane might not be able to play in the NHL at all after the procedure but that is a very real possibility.

Previously on PuckReporter

Connor Bedard Takes A Penalty And Makes A Hilarious Rookie Error

Gary Bettman Faces Backlash For Blocking His Fans From Watching Major Event

Wayne Gretzky Unveils The Perfect Choice For Patrick Kane's Next Team

POLL
16 NOVEMBRE \| 189 ANSWERS A Trending Statement Is Sparking Mixed Feelings On The Impact Of Patrick Kane's Return Will Kane still be effective in the NHL after his surgery?
Yes	58	30.7 %
No	60	31.7 %
Somewhat	71	37.6 %
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