Rumor: Blackhawks considering bringing back Patrick Kane

We're really going to find out where Patrick Kane's allegiances lie this offseason.

The longtime Chicago Blackhawks forward signed a contract with the Detroit Red Wings this past season after a short stint with the New York Rangers the season before. Prior to that though, he looked like the kind of player who would be a lifelong Blackhawk. But when GM Kyle Davidson made the tough decision to move on from the past and forge ahead with a full scale rebuild, it was clear that there was no longer a place on the Blackhawks for Kane.

Now though, there's a sentiment that things might be different. The Blackhawks are still in full scale rebuild mode but with budding superstar Connor Bedard in the fold and with plenty of more young talent coming down the pipe there are reports that the Blackhawks are looking for some veteran talent. The Corey Perry experiment didn't work out last season, but Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno fit in seamlessly. Could Kane be the next veteran to (re)-join the team?

According to a report from Blackhawks insider Scott Powers of The Athletic, GM Davidson and the rest of the Blackhawks' front office staff are having "internal discussions over the next couple of weeks about the prospect of bringing #88 back."

More from Powers:

I’ve heard enough in the past few weeks to believe that the Blackhawks are going to at least internally discuss whether to re-sign Kane. The answer may not change, but I do think it’s an agenda item as they lead up to free agency.

There is the question of whether Kane wants to return, but I do believe he’s open to it. Kyle Davidson made sure Kane’s departure was as smooth as possible, and that the relationship wasn’t fractured. As much as Kane is a star wherever he plays, it’s at another level in Chicago. I’m sure he was reminded of that when he came back with the Red Wings. He’s also comfortable in every way, on and off the ice, in Chicago. I’m sure he’d like to make a run at Stan Mikita’s franchise points record (Kane needs 242 points to match Mikita) or be in a Blackhawks jersey as he goes after Mike Modano’s career numbers as the top U.S.-born player.

- Scott Powers

Could we see a reunion in the Windy City this offseason?