Bedard wants Kane back in Chicago after signing $75m deal
Connor Bedard said Patrick Kane’s return would lift the Blackhawks on the ice and electrify the United Center crowd.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Connor Bedard has his new Blackhawks contract in hand, and his next wish is pure Chicago hockey theater: Patrick Kane back in red, white and black.
Speaking Monday after agreeing to a five-year, $75 million extension with Chicago over the weekend, Bedard said he would love to see Kane return to the franchise where he became one of the defining players of the Blackhawks’ modern era, according to ESPN.
Kane, 37, is an unrestricted free agent. He spent 16 seasons with the Blackhawks and was part of three Stanley Cup-winning teams before Chicago’s rebuild sent the club in a different direction. ESPN reported that Kane was traded to the New York Rangers in 2023 and then played the past three seasons with the Detroit Red Wings.
Bedard arrived just after that split. Chicago made him the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL draft a few months after Kane was moved, turning the teenager into the new centerpiece of the franchise.
Now the new face of the Blackhawks is openly rooting for a reunion with the old one.
“I hope so,” Bedard said Monday, according to ESPN. He added that he was not sure what he could say to sway Kane’s choice, but said the team would be thrilled to add both the player and the person.
Bedard also pictured the noise Kane would hear if he skated back onto United Center ice as a Blackhawk. He said the crowd reaction and the spark for the team and fans would be “incredible,” according to ESPN.
More than a nostalgia play
Bedard framed a possible Kane return as a hockey move, not just a sentimental one.
The Blackhawks’ offense ranked 30th last season, according to ESPN. Kane, meanwhile, produced 16 goals and 41 assists in 67 games for Detroit in 2025-26. Bedard led Chicago with 75 points in 69 games.
Bedard said Kane’s legacy in Chicago is obvious, but argued that he would also make the current Blackhawks better. He called Kane “still an amazing player,” according to ESPN, and said he hoped they could play together.
If Kane does choose Chicago, the dream pairing may not be immediate. Bedard had surgery on his left shoulder on July 8, with a four-month recovery timeline, ESPN reported.
Bedard said Monday he would see whether he can beat that timeline, adding that he plans to work day by day to return as fast as possible, according to ESPN.
Contract talk stayed calm
Bedard, who had been a restricted free agent, said negotiations with the Blackhawks were smooth and that both sides landed quickly on a five-year term, according to ESPN.
He also addressed speculation that Leo Carlsson’s contract situation with Anaheim affected his own talks. Carlsson signed a five-year, $90 million offer sheet that the Ducks matched, ESPN reported.
Bedard said that did not alter anything with Chicago. According to ESPN, he said Chicago is the only place he wants to play and that he is happy with his pay.
For the Blackhawks, the next question is whether Bedard’s public pitch carries any weight with Kane. The younger star has made the invitation clear. Chicago now waits to see if “Showtime” wants one more act at the United Center.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.