Blackhawks' Patrick Kane Will Play In Wednesday's Playoff Opener
(CBS) Blackhawks star winger Patrick Kane will play in Chicago's playoff opener at Nashville on Wednesday night, one day after he was cleared by doctors for full participation following a recovery from a broken left clavicle.
Kane's return will come about seven weeks after he first suffered the injury on Feb. 24. The Blackhawks initially gave a recovery timeframe of 12 weeks.
"It's a credit to a lot of hard work by the doctors and trainers and just listening to them," Kane said, according to the Tribune.
"I didn't really know what to expect, to be honest with you. I think the whole time, I was just taking it day by day. When I started feeling good, that's kind of when I knew I'd be back sooner."
Kane added he's "excited" to be back on the ice and isn't worried about being slowed in any way.
"There was a decision with the management and the front office to make sure everyone was on board with it, on the same page, and not feeling like I was rushed back or anything," Kane said, according to the Sun-Times. "It was just a smart decision from everyone. It made sense. By no means is it anything that we rushed back."
At practice Monday and Tuesday, Kane skated on the second line with Brad Richards and Kris Versteeg, reuniting a line that had great success before Versteeg suffered a broken hand on Jan. 1 and Kane suffered his broken clavicle.
In just 61 games, Kane is still the Blackhawks' second-leading points scorer with 64, two behind Jonathan Toews for the team lead.
Game 1 between the Blackhawks and Predators is Wednesday in Nashville, while Game 2 is set for Friday.
