BUFFALO, N.Y. — When Patrick Kane took the KeyBank Center ice in a Rangers sweater, he was playing on a right hip desperate for relief and repair. But when he stood in the away locker room again a year later as a member of the Detroit Red Wings, one of the greats of a generation was well back to his usual business, milestones into a comeback he knew would happen.

"I knew I was going to feel better than last year. I just didn't know to what extent," Kane said on Tuesday in Buffalo. "And now I think I'm at the point now where I'm feeling pretty good just playing hockey and not really thinking about anything is going on with my body. So that's it's fun to be at that point. You know, I still think, you know, I think we're I'm not even sure we're maybe nine or 10 months out from the surgery."

No. 88 didn't stray far from home last summer, opting to spend his offseason around Toronto as he aggressively rehabbed his way back to game shape from a surgery very few athletes have returned to play from.

"A lot of work went into those six, seven months, whatever it was I was there and, you know, definitely happy I did the rehab there with Ian MacIntyre and just, you know, kind of sacrifice some, I guess like a summer just to make sure everybody's right going forward," Kane said. "So really happy with everything I did there. And, you know, I think it's all that hard work paid off for from where I'm at."

After nearly 16 years with the Chicago Blackhawks, the 2007 first overall pick went to the New York Rangers in a deadline move allowing the 34-year-old to pursue his fourth Stanley Cup title. With a new cap in his hip, the superstar is still hungry for another championship, and decided that the Detroit Red Wings gave him the best shot at capturing that this season. In 34 games, Kane has tallied 32 points and flanked the top line for a crew clamoring for the postseason.

“It's kind of funny, jumping on the plane yesterday, you know, you're out of a playoff spot and then you don't even play a game. And then you wake up this morning and you're now you're in a playoff spot. So that's the way it goes this time of year," said Kane. "Obviously, we have 18 games left, so that's all on us now and I think that's the spot we want to be. And so [I have] a lot of confidence in this group and what we hope we can accomplish, not only getting to the playoffs but when we're there ... take care of business, these last 18 games, the regular season and, you know, try to get the job done. So it's a fun spot to be in.”

However, the title of hometown hero has never eclipsed the South Buffalo native, with his dad in the stands and adoring local children pressed on the glass as "Showtime" prepared for his 26th career game against the Buffalo Sabres. 

"I mean, even just, you know, coming on the ice today and seeing like four kids in the seats behind the bench where I sit when I was here, it's kind of brings it back to the old days a little bit," Kane said. "So it's definitely a game, you know, you're always looking at on the schedule when you're coming back to Buffalo, when you're going to see your family or just even playing here has such an exciting feeling. So it's always great coming back."