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Patrick Kane heads into training camp with “no limitations” on repaired wrist

Florida Panthers v Chicago Blackhawks

CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 23: Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks skates against the Florida Panthers at the United Center on March 23, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks defeated the Panthers 4-0. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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Patrick Kane’s surgically repaired wrist has earned him a lot of ink and bandwidth this offseason. After all when when of the biggest stars in the league comes up with a random injury during the summer that needs surgery and puts his ability to be ready for training camp and the start of the season in danger, it’s going to get noticed.

Chicago’s training camp opened up today and Kane was on hand for fitness tests and physicals to kick things off and showing up with his left wrist still in a splint was enough to give everyone a reason to worry. Kane says, however, that there’s no reason to fret over the current state of his wrist as he won’t have any limitations on it now that the season is getting under way.

Chris Kuc of The Chicago Tribune gets the low down from Chicago training camp from Kane himself about how his wrist is doing.

“I feel really good,” Kane said. “I got it checked it out (Thursday). We’re going to be precautionary about putting myself into contact right away. I’ll be skating twice a day at practices ... with whatever (scrimmage) team’s out there and working really hard to get my range of motion back.

Kane added that he’s “been shooting and stick-handling” with teammates and the wrist is “still a little stiff but other than that, the bone and everything is pretty much healed.”


This is good news for the Blackhawks as Kane’s health had them worried he might not get much work in during camp and could’ve missed the start of the season. With Patrick Sharp out of action for 3-4 weeks after an emergency appendectomy, the new season was off to a foreboding start.

Making sure Kane is 100% to start the season is what they’ll work on with him and making sure he can get the season off to a big start with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa healthy and ready to go will be huge for Chicago. With new guy Andrew Brunette and returning potential second line center Michael Frolik there as well, they’ll be eager to start hot as well.

Chicago GM Stan Bowman tells CSNChicago.com’s Tracey Myers that keeping Kane reigned in is going to be the tougher job in training camp.

“He wants to go full tilt right away,” Bowman said. “His injury’s healed very well but we’re going to play it cautiously. He wants to do it all right away. He’s on a mission to have a really great season this year and he’s looking forward to showing us what he can do.”

Potentially having to make do without Sharp and Kane to start the year was something Joel Quenneville was hoping he wouldn’t have to deal with. If Kane is ready to go, that softens the blow and with Sharp to be back soon as well, the high hopes the Blackhawks have heading into this season can have their initial worries allayed.