Patrick Kane to miss at least next 2 games for Detroit Red Wings, but injury not hip-related
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — The Detroit Red Wings will be without Patrick Kane, one of their top players, for at least the next two games.
Coach Derek Lalonde said Tuesday that "Patty has a lower-body injury, not related to his hip. He's not going to be available for this trip. We'll get back to Detroit and have a better feel. Probably have a better feel after this trip."
Kane is still with the team. The Wings (22-16-5) play Wednesday at the Florida Panthers and Friday at the Carolina Hurricanes.
Kane left Sunday's game after playing just two shifts. He absorbed two hits, falling awkwardly on one of them.
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It is a significant loss for the Wings. Since making his debut Dec. 7, Kane has produced seven goals and nine assists, averaging 0.84 points per game to rank third on the team. There were questions regarding how productive the 35-year-old would be as he returned this season following invasive hip surgery June 1, but he quickly showed he still has his elite skill set.
"Kane has been beyond our expectations," Lalonde said. "He's everything we had hoped and then more. To be that healthy, to have that much jump in his game coming off that surgery, has been pretty amazing.
"He's been a huge catalyst for our offense. Little disappointed we're not going to have him for a little bit because he's really started to take ownership of the group, just feels a lot more comfortable with the group. He's a natural leader with the success he has had in his career."
Robby Fabbri and Daniel Sprong both got looks during Tuesday's practice in Kane's spot on a line with J.T. Compher and Alex DeBrincat.
KANE MISSES PRACTICE: Patrick Kane (lower body) not spotted at Detroit Red Wings' practice in Florida
"He's been great, but we played what, 25 games without him before, so I think we will be fine," DeBrincat said. "Other guys are going to have to step up and take over that role and we just have to stick to the details we have been doing well recently and really focus on playing a good defensive game, and the offense will come."
Klim Kostin came off injured reserve over the weekend, so the Wings have 12 forwards available. Defenseman Jake Walman remains sidelined by illness and will miss a third straight game Wednesday.
While Kane is unavailable to the Wings, Lalonde has been relying on Kane to be part of the good vibes Lalonde, team spokesman Todd Beam, and fellow upstate New Yorker Kane have going as they cheer on the Buffalo Bills in the NFL playoffs. After enduring multiple travel snafus — the Wings flew out of Detroit around 11 p.m. Saturday only to have to turn around and return 10 minutes into the flight because of a mechanical issue — they made it to Florida midday Monday, in time to watch the Bills defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round.
"Patrick Kane was the actual key to the win," Lalonde said. "Patrick is not quite as invested in the BIlls as myself and Beamer are, but he is a fan, and I asked him that afternoon, hey, we just need you emotionally invested. And he said he would be. We had a good laugh about it."
The Bills are set to host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night — during the Red Wings' game against the Tampa Bay Lightning — following the Detroit Lions' game at Ford Field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Her latest book, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Patrick Kane (lower body) to miss next 2 games for Detroit Red Wings
