Red Wings Kane Would be Deserving Masterton Winner

Patrick Kane’s boss was the most recent Detroit Red Wings player to win the Masterton Trophy. Current Detroit GM Steve Yzerman certainly met both definitions of what the award stands for when he was the 2002-03 Masterton receipient.

Introduecd in 1967-68, 0riginally, the Masterton Trophy was to go to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the game. Certainly, you could check Yzerman off in every category on that list.

More recently, the Masterton has been hijacked and become an award about overcoming – either illness or injury. Again, Yzerman, who underwent a radical osteotomy on his knee, qualified under this standard.

Patrick Kane – Detroit Red Wings (20)
Power Play Goal pic.twitter.com/2qBAwibk29

— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalVideos) April 5, 2025

Kane, Detroit’s 2024-25 Masterton nominee, is someone who’d also be worthy no matter what standard you go with to determine your Masterton winner. And it’s why he might have a great chance to be the first Red Wings player to earn the award since Yzerman.

Red Wings Kane Rebounded From Dramatic Hip Surgery

Kane underwent hip resurfacing surgery in June of 2023. It was designed to repair an impingement – bone rubbing on bone. No player had ever come back strongly from such surgery. Kane not only returned, he has excelled.

Recently, he reached the 20-goal plateau for the 17th time in his career. He’s now done that more than any American-born player in NHL history.

Kane has collected 41 points (15-26-41) in Detroit’s last 37 games. With an assist in Tuesday’s 4-1 loss at Montreal, Kane moved past Dave Andreychuk and Denis Savard and into 32nd place on the NHL’s all-time scoring list with 1,339 points.

Kane’s Accomplishments Are Many

With three Stanley Cups, Hart, Art Ross and Conn Smythe Trophies on his resume and a future date with Hockey Hall of Fame enshrinement, Kane could be coasting toward retirement at the age of 36. Instead, he’s embracing the game with the same passion he carried as a youngster. Kane happily shares his hockey wisdom with his less experienced Detroit teammates.

Patrick Kane

4th player in Red Wings history age 36 or older with a 5-point game#LGRW pic.twitter.com/Vs2I10la1l

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) March 13, 2025

“There’s a calmness to him, a confidence to him that kind of he doesn’t even have to talk,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said. “It’s just kind of an aura around him that rubs off on other people. So he’s been through these presses or pushes to get in, and then he’s been through the long run. I’m sure there’s pretty much nothing he hasn’t seen. So he can refer back to experiences.

“It’s not like he’s jumping up in the locker room, pounding on a drum, saying, ‘Hey, I did this, and I’ve been there.’ But you just know that there’s conversations on the plane or at dinner. There may be a question that comes up. And knowing him, he’s more than happy to share those experiences about what he’s gone through.

“Yeah, it’s good to have.”