CHICAGO — Patrick Kane mentioned he is not making an allowance for a future clear of the Chicago Blackhawks regardless of being “crushed” through the industry of widespread linemate Alex DeBrincat.
“To be honest, there hasn’t been much discussion about anything, even with my agent or my parents or my family,” the 33-year-old mentioned Thursday, the primary time he is spoken for the reason that finish of remaining season.
“I mean, I think we all know the situation, what could potentially happen. It’s not really anything I’m thinking about as of yet, so we’ll see how it all plays out and hopefully, we can get off to a good start here and prove some people wrong.
“I do know numerous persons are counting this staff out, what we will do, however I believe we’ve numerous motivated avid gamers and a motivated training personnel as smartly. Hopefully, get off to a just right get started and it begins right here in coaching camp, getting up to the mark and everybody feeling just right.”
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Kane and captain Jonathan Toews have one season remaining on the eight-year contract each signed July 9, 2014. Together, they won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010, 2013 and 2015. Chicago, which is in full rebuild mode, went 28-42-12 last season, finishing seventh in the Central Division, and has not qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in four of the past five seasons.
Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said Wednesday there have been no discussions to trade either Kane or Toews.
“We did not have any goal on making any of the ones strikes and they did not have any goal on going anyplace, so we have been each mutually focused on the season,” he said. “So if it involves that in the future, we will go that bridge once we get there, however we are undoubtedly not there presently.”
The Blackhawks traded two of their top forwards in the offseason.
DeBrincat was traded July 7 to the Ottawa Senators for the No. 7 (Kevin Korchinski) and No. 39 picks (Paul Ludwinski) in the 2022 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. That same day, Kirby Dach was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for the No. 13 (Frank Nazar) and No. 66 picks (Gavin Hayes) in 2022.
Kane and DeBrincat were usually on the same line last season. DeBrincat scored 41 goals, tying his NHL career high set in 2018-19, and Kane led the Blackhawks with 92 points (26 goals, 66 assists).
“That’s disappointing and it was once roughly crushing in the beginning while you listen the scoop as a result of, not best did I think we had some nice chemistry on the ice, however he was once one in every of my absolute best buddies and closest teammates off the ice,” Kane said of DeBrincat. “Yeah, it was once difficult, however I believe he is a man who is going to turn out to be an excellent participant, higher than he already is.”
Video: Blackhawks facing many questions to start this season
Toews said he felt “surprise, a bit little bit of anger” at the loss of DeBrincat and Dach but is focused on this season with Chicago.
“I used to be speaking with my circle of relatives and my agent and the concept for myself, in my view, has all the time been to roughly stay trudging ahead and getting higher and as I’ve discussed a large number of instances the remaining yr, and it feels like a damaged document, however running via numerous stuff, seeking to get wholesome and really feel higher and play on the tempo and the facility that I do know I will,” said Toews, who had 37 points (12 goals, 25 assists) in 71 games last season after missing the 2020-21 season because of chronic immune response syndrome.
“Numerous persons are questioning and love to invest and notice what will occur. I’m coming in right here simply absolutely excited to play hockey and not have any expectation, not be too involved with what occurs for me down the street this season and even past that.”
Kane said he wants to get the most out of training camp and the preseason to be ready for the regular season, which begins for Chicago on Oct. 12 against the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena in Denver (9:30 p.m. ET; TNT). He has dealt with a “nagging” undisclosed injury since the Blackhawks’ playoff appearance in 2020 but said he’s feeling good now.
“I did the entirety I may this summer time to get right into a just right place and now it is simply going to be about development it again up, staying power, skating onerous, taking part in in those intense scenarios right through camp,” Kane said. “I felt it was once like that remaining yr the place it took possibly a bit bit to get going via camp, however as soon as issues settled down a bit bit and also you get used to skating on a daily basis and the depth of it, it grew to become out OK.”