BUFFALO, N.Y. — Patrick Kane claims he's unsure what the atmosphere will be like for his Tuesday return to the United Center with the Blackhawks.
"When I went back there for my first game [there with] Detroit, you don't really know what the reception is going to be or how it's going to play out," Kane said Saturday. "That's the fun part about it.
"There's probably going to be some excitement, [but] it's just the unknown of what's going to happen and what it's going to be like. I can't wait."
Well, I have a pretty good idea what it will be like: raucous.
Kane might not be as acutely aware of this fact as he would be if the Hawks hadn't traded him in 2023, but Hawks fans have had preciously few in-the-present moments to enjoy and celebrate lately.
They've had no choice but to turn to nostalgia for satisfaction — especially during the franchise's yearlong centennial celebration last season — while waiting for the return of on-ice success.
And the mere thought of Kane, arguably the greatest player in franchise history and arguably the greatest American hockey player ever, has consistently conjured up the most vivid, proud, triumphant nostalgia of all within the fan base.
Seeing Kane in the flesh elevates that to another level. The seemingly endless standing ovation he received in his aforementioned return with the Red Wings in February 2024 — two minutes that felt like two hours — demonstrated that phenomenon.
So seeing Kane in the flesh wearing a Hawks sweater again? That will be downright euphoric for the 20,000-some fans who will flock to Madison Street for the team's home opener.
No matter how this season goes — or how next season goes, for that matter, since Kane is on a two-year contract — his place in Hawks fans' hearts will never change. He earned that permanent real estate long ago, and it truly is permanent.
He could put a cherry on top of his iconic Chicago legacy, though, if he somehow helps push this young Hawks team back into contention. There is a new forward-looking element to the Kane hullabaloo that didn't exist in 2024.
And despite the Hawks' ugly opening week, Kane still sounds optimistic about the trajectory.
"I know we haven't started off great this year, but I think there's a lot of potential in the room," he said. "I think could be a winning team here pretty soon."
The fact Kane chose to sign with the Hawks this summer after weeks of deliberating between them and his hometown Sabres — who already became winners again last season — says something about his belief in the Hawks' young core.
Kane has always gravitated toward young players who share his passion for spending as much time on the ice as possible, and there are plenty of guys like that on this team.
Some of them are closer in age to Kane's five-year-old son Patrick Jr. than they are to 37-year-old Kane himself.
As those Hawks youngsters attempt to maintain confidence through this early-season adversity, which they crucially need to do long enough to find their NHL sea legs and start gathering some positive momentum, Kane's aura and experience could be beneficial.
"Patrick's presence helps our team in general, just with the belief that he has — when he comes to the rink every day — that he's going to be a great player and that the team is going to win," coach Jeff Blashill said.
"That's a positive thing. But I also think it'd be a lot to ask him to necessarily be responsible for other guys' confidence. Individually, you have to pick yourself up. I think true confidence comes from within. Each guy has to make sure they come with that belief that they're going to be a great player and we're going to be a really good hockey team."
