DETROIT – A 57-year-old and a 4-year-old will have a significant influence on whether Patrick Kane returns to the Detroit Red Wings. The older guy is coach Todd McLellan. Kane was struggling to find his game in late December. Then McLellan arrived and Kane prospered.

A week after being eliminated from the playoff race for a ninth straight year, the Detroit Red Wings gathered to clean out their lockers and meet with general manager Steve Yzerman and coach Todd McLellan. It's the end game for every team in the NHL, but nobody wants to go through it in mid-April, days after the regular season ended.

Kane had signed a prorated one-year contract last season, played well and showed no adverse signs of hip resurfacing surgery, but talked hesitantly about his future with the Wings. The prevailing thought was, there was likely no future with the Wings.