Will Patrick Kane remain with the Red Wings or move on?

Patrick Kane has proved he can play without pain after undergoing hip-resurfacing surgery and that he is still a productive offensive force in the NHL.

Now what?

After signing as free agent with the Detroit Red Wings late last November, Kane has 20 goals and 44 points in 47 games at the age of 35. It is his 16th career season of at least 20 goals, which ties Kane with Hall of Famer Mike Modano for the most seasons of 20 or more goals by an American-born NHL player.

Kane signed a one-year deal worth $2.75 million, basically a "prove it" contract.

But the Red Wings also have to prove something to Kane, if they want him to return to Detroit next season: That they can at least compete for a Stanley Cup in the limited amount of years that he has left in his career.

The Red Wings potential to return to the postseason after seven seasons of missing out was one of the biggest reasons that Kane chose Detroit from among numerous other teams last fall. And with three games remaining in the regular season, the Red Wings are out of the playoffs. 

Detroit is tied with the Washington Capitals and one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, who currently occupy the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot. But the first tie-breaker is regulation wins and Detroit's 27 are two fewer than Washington's total and the least among the teams in contention for that playoff position.

If the Red Wings do manage to slip into the Stanley Cup playoffs, obviously both sides would feel good about the situation. Kane would surely be more amenable to returning and you assume that Detroit would be more likely to want to re-sign him. 

Kane has been exceedingly complimentary about the Red Wings organization and his time there. But Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman is famously tight lipped and has not indicated which way he is leaning when it comes to re-signing Kane.

However, if the Red Wings miss out on the Stanley Cup playoffs for the eighth consecutive season - particularly after being comfortably in a playoff spot in late February before going 6-11-4 down the stretch - it would be understandable if both Kane and Detroit entertain thoughts of going their separate ways.

Kane would have to have questions about the team's immediate future and there have been rumors that Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde would be fired if Detroit does miss the playoffs. Would Kane mesh with another coach as well as he has with Lalonde? Would Kane even want to stay if there was a coaching change?

On the Red Wings side, a big part of their taking the chance on Kane after his surgery was the bet that a healthy and productive Kane would be the little extra that the team needed to make the playoffs. Missing the playoffs despite having a fully recovered and productive Kane, might make Yzerman a bit hesitant about offering, say, a two- or three-year deal worth $5 or $6 million annually, which would likely be Kane's going rate now.

We will know about the playoffs soon enough. But what will Kane do?

Only he knows. And he probably doesn't even know yet.