Alex DeBrincat loves the “weird” look of Patrick Kane in a Red Wings sweater

It goes without saying that not many people thought that they would ever see a Chicago Blackhawks icon that led them to multiple Stanley Cup victories in Patrick Kane join a historic bitter rival, but that's the situation that is now a reality. 

The future Hall of Fame forward raised more than a few eyebrows everywhere when he decided to join the Detroit Red Wings in late November once he was healthy enough to continue his playing career after undergoing offseason hip resurfacing surgery. 

Then again, it was an odd sight to see former Blackhawks captain Chris Chelios wear the Winged Wheel after a March 1999 trade, but people got used to that rather quickly.

Kane fit in instantly with Detroit, scoring seven goals with nine assists in the 19 games that he's appeared in, a pace of just under a point per game. And while he hasn't played since mid-January after suffering a lower body injury that was unrelated to his hip, he's expected to be able to return following the All-Star break. 

And notably, Kane's signing in Detroit reunited him with former Blackhawks teammate and lineman Alex DeBrincat, whom Detroit traded for during the summer. The native of Farmington Hills played a key role in recruiting Kane to Detroit while he was deciding of who to join. 

“It’s definitely weird seeing him in that jersey,” DeBrincat said of Kane. “But I think it looks great.”

Meanwhile, DeBrincat had no doubt that Kane would be able to emerge as his old self after completing his physical rehabilitation from offseason hip surgery, though there were understandable doubts given the similar procedure conducted on Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom; his career is in danger of all but being officially over.

“I knew, ‘If there’s one guy that can come back from that [surgery], it’s him,’ ” DeBrincat said. “He’s definitely a hockey nerd. [He] always thinks about hockey and how he can be better. That’s what makes him so good: He’s always trying to do new things.”

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