Patrick Kane: Chasing Olympic Gold in His Final Stage
In his nineteenth season in the NHL, Patrick Kane, with an impressive record that includes three Stanley Cups, a scoring title, a regular season MVP, and a playoff MVP, still yearns for one more achievement: the Olympic gold medal.Kane, who will turn 37 in November, is on the list of 44 players invited by Team USA to its Olympic orientation camp this week in Plymouth, Michigan. The 2026 Milan Games will mark the return of NHL players to the Olympics after 12 years. Kane, now with the Detroit Red Wings after 16 years in Chicago, is seeking his third Olympic appearance, having played in Vancouver 2010 (silver medal) and Sochi 2014. Several players have expressed their support for Kane to be part of the team. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin stated that many players, including the younger ones, are inspired by Kane. Kane, however, does not want to be selected based on past achievements or name recognition.“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 commented. “It would be fun to have that opportunity.”
Patrick Kane
Team USA general manager Bill Guerin informed Kane that he was not selected for the Four Nations team. Kane admitted his disappointment, but understood the decision, especially after a season in which, following surgery, he scored few goals in the early games. Kane acknowledged that he needed to improve his performance to secure a place on the Olympic team. In addition, he highlighted that he felt motivated by the change of coach in the Red Wings, which allowed him to play important minutes and improve his game. Kane followed the Four Nations tournament from Mexico and was impressed by the high level of competition. Team USA has until early January to submit its roster for Milan. The Olympics allow for squads of 25 players, compared to the 23 of the Four Nations. Kane and defenseman Ryan McDonough are the only players from the 2014 Olympic team 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. Despite losing to Canada in the Four Nations final, the Americans are on a good run: in May, they won gold at the World Championship for the first time since 1933.“I don’t want that to be a factor, being selected because of all that. You want to be selected for the player you are now and what you can bring to the team now,” Kane declared.
Patrick Kane
Kane also has other milestones within reach this season: he is eight goals away from scoring his 500th career goal, 32 points away from surpassing Mike Modano to be the second U.S.-born player with the most points in the NHL, and 48 points away from Brett Hull as the all-time leader. Meanwhile, Kane is tasked with helping the Red Wings break their nine-year playoff drought, the longest in franchise history. Kane signed a one-year contract with incentives in Detroit this summer, where he is paid $3 million in base salary and up to $4 million in additional bonuses. “It could be a great year if I get off to a good start,” Kane said. “And being part of the Olympic team would really be the icing on the cake.”“I’ve been to orientation camps in 2010 and 2014 and the same message everyone mentions is the 1980 team and how much time has passed,” Kane said. “So, that’s the expectation: gold and trying to surpass Canada.”
Patrick Kane
