Players have not always fared well after undergoing hip surgery in the offseason just a few months before their new campaign starts. This is especially true of veterans, a category where Patrick Kane finds himself with nearly 1200 NHL games in his career. Which players have had it rough returning after a hip procedure, and do they impact the free-agent star who had resurfacing surgery this summer?
Example 1: Claude Giroux
Claude Giroux has been the king of consistency, but there was a short stint when it seemed that his best years were behind him. Undergoing hip surgery following the 2015-16 season, he was set to captain the Philadelphia Flyers for the fifth season of his career. At 29, it was arguably his weakest as captain, and it uncoincidentally came right after his procedure.
In 2016-17, Giroux scored 58 points in 82 games, which was low for his standards. He had a strong start to the season, but his offense faded as the season progressed. With just 14 goals in his 82-game campaign, it was the lowest goals-per-game average of his career since his two-game stint with the Flyers in 2007-08.
Sign up for our NHL History Substack newsletter
“When you try to make plays that you used to make and you can’t really make them it’s frustrating and confusing,” Giroux said, adding that the mental side of the game was really challenging for him to overcome. He was never truly 100 percent — no skill he possessed could have helped him bounce back from what he had to go through, and a down season was the likeliest outcome.
Related: Claude Giroux Is a Definitive Hall-of-Famer
Amazingly, Giroux had the best point-scoring season of his career right after that, with 102 points to finish second in the NHL. He helped prove that there is still hope for veterans who undergo some form of hip surgery.
Example 2: Tuukka Rask
The Boston Bruins’ Tuukka Rask was one of the most consistently elite goaltenders in the NHL, having his game age gracefully into his early 30s. Suffering a torn labrum in 2020-21, he underwent hip surgery that offseason. He worked tirelessly to return, but the injury and surgery became a factor in his retirement.
Rask eventually returned midway through the 2021-22 season, but he only played four games and retired shortly after. Hip surgery affects goaltenders differently, but recovery is always difficult. He said, “When I made the decision to have surgery on my hip last summer, I did so knowing that the road to recovery would be challenging,” but it was something he knew he had to do to have any chance of getting back on the ice.
Rask spent a long time recovering, but the tedious process proved to be futile. His body was unable to keep up with the game, and he hung up his skates at the age of 34.
Example 3: Nicklas Backstrom
In his prime, Nicklas Backstrom was one of the best playmakers in the league, and he will likely find himself in the Hockey Hall of Fame when all is said and done. He started to suffer the wear and tear of an NHL veteran and had hip resurfacing surgery in June 2022 — the same procedure as Kane. Playing in just 47 games since his surgery, he’s had a tough time returning to form.
Since his return, Backstrom has only scored seven goals and 22 points. On Nov. 1, the Washington Capitals announced that he had stepped away from the 2023-24 campaign for health reasons. Time may be winding down on his NHL career. A decision to retire might be made easier knowing his age and legacy, but leaving the game is something no athlete wants to do. At this point, retirement is a real possibility, especially once his contract expires after the 2024-25 NHL season.
No two players are truly the same. However, the fact that both Kane and Backstrom have undergone the same procedure at almost identical ages does raise some concerns.
Example 4: Robin Lehner
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner underwent a couple of surgeries in a short span, but most recently, he had a hip procedure that was set to sideline him for the entire 2022-23 season. His last NHL game was on April 20, 2022, and although he’s only 32, there is no timeline for his return.
With two seasons left on his five-year, $25 million contract, the Golden Knights probably aren’t rushing Lehner to come back, especially given their sound goaltending situation without him. He has had a fulfilling and inspiring NHL career, as a two-time William M. Jennings Trophy winner, a Vezina Trophy finalist, and a winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. A return to the NHL seems like a possibility, but the fact that he hasn’t yet presents some doubt that it will happen any time soon.
How Patrick Kane May Look
If there was ever a player who could defy the aging curve and bounce back from hip resurfacing surgery, it is Kane. With that being said, he is in his mid-30s and coming off one of the worst seasons of his career.
A 57-point season in 73 games might seem like an opportunity that no team should pass up, but his numbers weren’t up to his standards. He has never been an elite defensive player, but it was tough for him in 2022-23. Kane ranked near the bottom among defensive forwards last season – his most frequent line with the Chicago Blackhawks had an expected goals for percentage (xGF%) of 40. With an expected goals against per 60 of 3.68, he and his line ranked second last in the NHL in xGF% among those with 200 minutes together. Among all lines that had 100 or more minutes together, three of his ranked in the bottom seven in expected goals against per 60. His last season with the Blackhawks was tough, but the team as a whole wasn’t particularly great, either.
Things started to change when he was traded to the New York Rangers, but his scoring rate dipped slightly with less ice time. With an even strength points per 60 ranking 214th in the NHL among players with 20 or more games played, again, he was not scoring points at a dominant level. He should see a boost in his average, but it will be more than a challenge coming off of hip surgery.
At this stage of his career, Kane can be a solid offensive contributor to a team that needs it. Having a player of his skill means sacrificing a two-way game a bit. As a free agent, he is actively looking for a suitor, and a good defensive team might be a great fit. While this works well in theory, no team should expect jaw-dropping numbers from him right away. An aging player coming off of surgery should make any team cautious.
A two-year contract should work for both sides, and the amount will depend on the salary situation, but a deal worth around $3 million per season seems like a safe bet, especially if teams want to get creative and include bonuses in Kane’s contract. He might not be at his best through most of 2023-24 if he chooses to play, but he could become a difference-maker as the season progresses. Whichever team he chooses to sign with will be getting one of the most talented players of the 21st century, so his risk of regression might be worth it to some contenders.
