The Beginning of A Beautiful Friendship: How the Kane/Cat One-Timer Tradition Began
Traditions are built on repeated rhythms, and for the past few years, Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat were two of the NHL's top pairs. But, as we've all seen time and time again, hockey teams are constantly in motion, whether it be for money, for chemistry, or both, change is a constant. Because of that, one of Chicago's favorite traditions had to come to an end.
The warm-up one-timers weren't meant to be a spectacle. They didn't start out as anything other than what they were; a simple drill to help a 2017 rookie gain confidence about his ability. And through the kindness and patience of Patrick Kane, through the repetition of a basic warm-up, a tradition and irreplaceable friendship was born.
Soon enough, fans noticed the pattern, and came to expect it, to be part of it, to be comforted by it; which made it all the more heartbreaking when DeBrincat was traded to Ottawa. Since his departure, Kane has found others to participate, because you can't break tradition, no matter what.
So far, it hasn't been the same person, due to injury, roster rotation, etc. Of course, no one can ever actually replace Alex DeBrincat, but maybe Kane will find a new rhythm with another teammate. And while the warm-up one-timers won't look exactly the same, perhaps fans can still find comfort in knowing that some things will never change.
| POLL | ||
Who Should Be Kane's New One-Timer Partner? | ||
| Caleb Jones | 31 | 21.1 % |
| Filip Roos | 20 | 13.6 % |
| Toews | 47 | 32 % |
| Other | 49 | 33.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
