Patrick Kane narrows free agency choice to Sabres or Blackhawks

Patrick Kane will not return to the Detroit Red Wings. The 37-year-old free agent has narrowed his choice to the Buffalo Sabres or Chicago Blackhawks, according to Chris Chelios, who spoke to Kane directly and shared the news on Chicago's The Score radio station on July 15.

"I'm not going to lie to you guys, it's down to Buffalo and Chicago," Chelios said on the Mully and Haugh Show. "I know that, obviously, because I spoke to him."

Kane is a Buffalo native and spent his first 16 NHL seasons in Chicago, where he won three Stanley Cups and a Hart Trophy in 2015-16. He played the last three seasons in Detroit, posting 57 points in 67 games this past season.

At the end of the 2025-26 season, a return to the Red Wings seemed likely. Kane said he would love to be part of the solution, and then-GM Steve Yzerman said the team would love to have him back. But Yzerman is no longer in the role, and NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said he does not expect Kane to return to Detroit.

The Sabres finished 50-23-9 last season and have roughly $8.6 million in cap space after moving Alex Tuch to Washington in a sign-and-trade. Their power play ranked 20th in the NHL, a clear area of need for a 109-point team. Kane, who had 41 assists last season, could fill that role.

Chicago offers a homecoming of a different kind, but Connor Bedard had left shoulder surgery on July 8 and is expected out about four months, which points to a mid-November return. Chelios said Kane is making a "tough decision" but hopes he leans toward Chicago. "He's so beloved in Chicago, so I'm hoping he leans [there]," Chelios said. "I think he's going to make his decision pretty quick now."