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Most of the buzz around a potential Patrick Kane reunion with the Chicago Blackhawks centers on one obvious pairing: Kane and superstar center Connor Bedard.
But Kanes real value to this roster might have little to do with Bedard at all especially with Bedard sidelined following shoulder surgery, expected to return around November.
Instead, the more compelling case for Kane may be his impact on Chicagos crop of young centers, including Frank Nazar, Anton Frondell, and Nick Lardis.
Kanes processing speed and playmaking instincts remain elite even at 37.
A set of writers at The Athletic noted: The Blackhawks have several young players theyre hopeful will be major contributors this season, but theyre mostly inexperienced.
Roman Kantserov, last seasons KHL-leading goal scorer, will be in his first NHL season.
Anton Frondell, the 2025 No.
3 pick, has played just 12 NHL games.
There are plenty of others.
In a top-six role and on the top power play, Kane would be looked to produce and ease those players into the NHL.
Showing younger players how he reads the game, prepares, and sustains a long NHL career could be just as valuable as anything hed produce on a scoresheet with Bedard.
Would a line featuring Frondell, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Kane offer balance, with the two doing the defensive lifting and puck retrieval while Kane distributes? Others push back hard on that idea, arguing its unfair to ask a 19-year-old to cover for a winger who isnt known for playing a two-way game.
If the plan is to place Kane and Bedard together when Bedard returns, theres a solid chance that works too.
Once Bedard returns, Kanes role would change.
The puck wouldnt go through him as often, but there would be an opportunity for him and Bedard to gain chemistry and develop a playing style together.
Regardless of who Kane ends up playing with, theres little debate about the off-ice benefits: three championships worth of culture, credibility, and a direct connection to what winning in Chicago actually looks like.
For a young core still finding its identity, that presence alone might matter more than any combination of lines.
The Blackhawks front office was previously not open to the idea of bringing Kane back.
GM Kyle Davidson said the franchise had moved on from that chapter of their rebuild.
Things can change in just a few short years, especially when a team falls short of expectations.
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