'08-'09 Season Review: Patrick Kane

does take his fair share of unwarranted criticism that’s for sure. Anytime I find myself wanting to say, “this kid is overrated and soft” I tell remind myself that Yzerman didn’t start playing D until Scotty Bowman came aboard and Datsyuk was in Russia until the age of 24 and didn’t become an elite player until he was 27. Then someone will say, “Crosby is just a year older and has put up a lot more points and has that whole Cup thing”…albeit playing along with one of the other best players in the world. So Kaner is somewhere in between right now. I just hope he works harder to get stronger and works on the defensive end and he takes the Datsyuk approach and not the Kariya path.

Couldn’t have said it better myself

I think a lot of the criticism for Kane is as a result of being inextricably linked to Toews, who is a once in a generation player for his maturity and commitment to defense and fundamentals. People need to understand that for a big a freak as Toews is in that regard, Kane is just about equally as much so in his passing ability and puck handling.

But I do criticize him. Because he does need improvement. Or with improvement, rather, he’d be even better (from an A- to an A+). I don’t expect him to do what he can’t do, but I do want to see him hustle a bit more on the ice. And yes, perhaps it’s hard because he is on with Toews, so expectations are higher.

I honestly expected a so called sophomore slump from Kane this year. I TRULY did not expect him back from “the hit” as quick. I have had 10 knee surgeries myself, including having both kneecaps replaced, (two different hits), and I know what it takes to come back. He has my respect for doing it that quick in this sport..

against the scum still gives me goosebumps. Having watched so many young players with potential that never developed because of a miserable front office, I feel like I have cynicism burned into my DNA that tells my brain that Chicago can never have one of those stars who figures it out after a couple of seasons and just explodes with a 3-5 year run of ridiculous accomplishments. Those players exist, just never here it seems. He proved a lot this year and my only big question now is whether Q is the coach that can keep him focused and committed while Kane is feeling the urge to tear the city up after he turns 21. I haven’t seen a ton of interviews with him, but he strikes me as kid who is probably gonna need a person he respects around to keep his head on straight.

Okay okay, I’m the guy you can slam. I’m still not completely sold for the long-term. His offensive talent is exceptional, obviously, and I doubt if anyone close to his size matches it. But to win in our conference—and to get to the Cup—a team needs every line committed to defense, to back-checking. And with the free reign given to our d-men in joining the rush or in pinching along the boards, it’s even more important for a team like ours that the wingers cover and then battle equally as hard skating back as they do skating forward.

I don’t think the guy sucks or anything, not even close, I just think that when you’re talking about elite talent you need to raise the bar in terms of evaluation. Kane himself has talked about needing to commit better to his tenacity in his own zone (he’s talked about watching Toews and learning from him in that respect). I’m just a tiny bit worried, then, when I see that he recognizes the changes he needs to make to his game … but that he hasn’t gone the extra distance to make them.

So it’s a low B from me. And blasphemy beyond blasphemies, I’m not sold on him changing much.

Is one of the best and most exciting players in the game today! His hat-trick in Game 6 vs. Vancouver is one of the greatest moments for me as a long-time Hawks fan. His play offensively is at times is exilirating with a little bit of (can’t find the right word) ‘the Hawks are finally getting it right’, a sigh of relief so to speak. But never has this kid shown any type of quitter attitude and has shown various amounts of resiliency. Whether it was a January high-ankle sprain to the unknown injury that left him out of Game 3 vs. Calgary Kane always came back with a vengence and has shown time and time again to go to those dirty areas to score and make plays and isn’t the perimeter player many view him as.
Kane needs to work on his overall game. But so does many other players in his age group. Even Malkin, Ovechkin, and Crosby aren’t Selke Award considerations,in fact not even close. So Kane is not so different than many other NHL young stars. Jonathan Toews is a different and very rare type of player that can be dominate in both areas on the ice with the ability to lead that many haven’t seen since Messier so let’s not get to carried away with Kane’s inabilities in his defensive zone. Next season Kane will be better in his own zone and will be a much more improved player all-around and make the same type of progression that Malkin made with the Penguins this season. It’s just the beginning of the evolution of a championship calibre player of Patrick Kane.
A 100-point season is definitely a possibility for Kane next season, in fact I personally guarantee that he will do it. A first for a Hawk since Jeremy Roenick in 1993-94.
Toews and Kane-the Hawks are back and with a vengence.
2009-2010 One Goal:the Stanley Cup and nothing else!!!

I graded him an “A”.

A very reluctant “A”.

And vicious, angry growling for what he did to Luongo. Hawks are going to be damned scary in a couple years, Kane and Toews are only going to get better.