Patrick Kane: Chasing Olympic Gold in His Final Stage
In his nineteenth season in the NHL, Patrick Kane, recognized for his three Stanley Cups, a scoring title, the regular season MVP, and the playoffs MVP, seeks one more achievement: Olympic gold. The 36-year-old player, currently with the Detroit Red Wings, aspires to his third Olympic participation in the 2026 Milan Games.Kane was invited to the U.S. team’s orientation camp this week in Plymouth, Michigan, a crucial event ahead of the 2026 Games, which will mark the NHL’s return to Olympic competition after 12 years. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin and other players expressed their support for Kane, highlighting his influence on the sport and his inspiring role for new generations. Kane, however, emphasizes that he does not want to be selected for his reputation, but for his current performance and what he can bring to the team. The general manager of the American team, Bill Guerin, revealed that Kane was close to being included in the team for the Four Nations tournament. Kane, after a season of recovery from hip surgery, had a slow start, but improved noticeably in the second half of the season with the Red Wings. In the Four Nations tournament, Kane followed the matches from Mexico and was impressed with the high level of competition. The United States team has until the beginning of January to submit its roster for Milan, with a limit of 25 players, compared to the 23 allowed in the Four Nations tournament. Kane and defenseman Ryan McDonough are the only players from the 2014 Olympic team who were invited to this week’s camp. The United States hasn’t won men’s Olympic gold since the famous “Miracle on Ice” team of 1980. Kane also has other milestones within reach this season: he is eight goals away from scoring his 500th goal, 32 points away from surpassing Mike Modano as the second-highest scoring American player in the NHL, and 48 points away from Brett Hull as the all-time leader. Additionally, Kane seeks to help the Red Wings break their nine-year playoff drought, the longest in franchise history. He recently signed a one-year contract with Detroit, with a base salary of $3 million and up to $4 million in bonuses. “It could be a great year if I start well,” Kane declared. “And making the Olympic team would really be the icing on the cake.”“I look at my career and what I’ve accomplished, and the only thing missing is the gold in the best against the best,” Kane stated.
Patrick Kane
