As noted earlier, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane spent part of his vacation watching the Four Nations Face-Off, and Kane and his teammates spent most of their post-practice availabilities discussing the tournament, as noted by 97.1 the Ticket’s Will Burchfield…
Last time USA and Canada met in a best-on-best tournament, in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, Kane was on the ice for the Stars and Stripes. And the time before that, in the 2014 Sochi Olympics. And the time before that, in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, when Sidney Crosby broke the Americans’ hearts with a golden goal in one of the greatest games in the history of hockey’s best rivalry. When USA and Canada clash again for the 4 Nations title Thursday night in Boston, Kane will be in the strange position of watching from afar.
“It’s tough,” he admitted. “You definitely want to be there and you feel like you’re missing out on some great hockey and a great opportunity, too. It is what it is. Personally, you start looking back, I mean, we missed nine years of it, right? The first four, five, six years of those nine years were some of my best hockey I’ve played in my life. So obviously you think about those opportunities that were missed, whether it was the ’18 Olympics or ’22 Olympics or not having the World Cup at all.
“But it is what it is. I had my opportunities. I was there in 2010 and lost in overtime in the Gold Medal game, 2014 we had a really good team, too, we were right there, and got to play in the 2016 World Cup, too. Obviously you want as many opportunities as possible, but you see the type of hockey this is and the excitement it brings, seems to me like it’s the best way to grow the game. It’s unfortunate it’s been nine years.”
After the 2016 World Cup — where the U.S. flamed out with an 0-3 record in group play — the NHL wouldn’t send its players to another international tournament until this one. The 4 Nations has been a smashing success, with TV ratings that match the high level of play. The USA-Canada classic was the most-watched non-Stanley Cup Final hockey telecast in six years, and the championship game might outdo it. It will certainly be on in Kane’s house.
“As much as you’re a player and you love playing the game, I’m still a fan of the game,” he said. “I’ll definitely be on my couch that night tuning in and paying attention.”
And Kane continued while speaking with Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen…
“It’s been so fun to watch,” Kane said. “It’s been fun keeping tabs on it. And obviously a huge game on Thursday night.”
Kane was particularly happy for Detroit captain Dylan Larkin who netted the game-winner last Thursday in USA’s 3-1 against Canada.
“It seemed like he started kind of down there in the lineup and not playing as much the first game and then when he gets the opportunity, the chance, he’s going to play well and do all he can with his opportunity,” Kane said. ” So I thought he played great that game and had a couple more chances as well. I think he hit the post and kind of had like an open net and then to see him scoring the two on one and the excitement and just how big of a goal that was, it was cool to see. Very happy for him.”
At 36, Patrick Kane isn’t thinking his international playing career has to be over. He’s thinking that playing for USA at the 2026 Olympics would be an “amazing opportunity.”
Said Kane: “You want to put your best foot forward, whether it’s the rest of this year or the start of next year, and give yourself a chance.”
Alex Lyon also discussed the Four Nations tournament with the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan…
“It’s been good for the sport,” goaltender Alex Lyon said. “Everybody wants more eyeballs and attention. All four teams have been impressive. For sure the rivalry (between USA and Canada) — given with the things happening off the ice too — probably escalated things a little bit, which is good for the sport.”
As did coach Todd McLellan, who has been moving from Los Angeles to Metro Detroit over the Four Nations break:
“I’m a big believer in the league,” McLellan said. “The word ‘help’ is not one that our league needs. It’s a real good, entertaining sport. It enhances what we’re already doing, the emotion and drive. I was asked by so many people, ‘What will these games be like? Are they going to play hard or is it going to be an All-Star Game?’ They clearly answered that. It just enhanced what we already do as a real good entertainment product.”
The two Wings competing in the tournament, forwards Dylan Larkin (USA) and Lucas Raymond (Sweden), both have had impressive tournaments. Larkin had a goal and assist in Saturday’s victory over Canada and has seen his role increase steadily throughout the tournament. Raymond had three assists in Sweden’s three games.
“For both of them, it’s been an incredible experience that isn’t over yet for Larks,” McLellan said. “It’s one thing to go and be on the team. It’s another to go and be on the team and be a factor. Both of them were factors for their teams, so that’s a real good sign.
“It gives them experience that they wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. When an organization hasn’t been in the playoffs a number of years, a lot of players don’t have playoff experience. It might be with other teams and we have guys with Stanley Cups in here, but as a group we haven’t experienced it yet and it is different when you do get there. This opportunity cannot hurt either of them.”
McLellan, Lyon and Kane offered final comments to MLive’s Ansar Khan, discussing the U.S.-Canada rivalry:
“It seems like when red, blue and white get together with red and white, it just happens,” McLellan said. “There’s nothing organic about it, it’s a rivalry. It’s intense, it’s bragging rights. What’s ironic is a lot of those same players get on the same plane, fly back to the same city. They may be sitting in first class right beside each other and they just beat the you-know-what out of each other and now they got to go play together again. That speaks volumes to the type of athletes we’re around.”
The tone for Saturday’s game was set during the opening face-off, when USA’s Matthew Tkachuk challenged Brandon Hagel to a fight. Tkachuk’s brother, Brady, fought Sam Bennett after the ensuing face-off. On the next shift, USA’s J.T. Miller scrapped with Colton Parayko.
“The start of the game was like … you’re just kind of laughing to yourself,” Kane said. “Obviously, Keith Tkachuk was a great player and had a great career and to raise two kids that are fighting for Team USA three seconds into the game … that’s got to be an incredible feeling for him. And obviously happy they got the win, too.”
Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon played with Matthew Tkachuk and Bennett in Florida and others in the tournament.
“A little weird to see them on (opposing) teams, but ultimately good for the sport and everybody wants more eyeballs and attention,” Lyon said.
The U.S. clearly is catching up to Canada, a longtime international power.
“I think you see in, like, the World Juniors, the Americans are getting better, and we’ve been winning a lot of those,” Kane said. “And then I just think the talent level coming from the United States has been incredible. Guys are getting better and better. Some of these players that are coming up these days are impact players right away, or some of the best players in the league. We didn’t really have that 5-10 years ago. It’s fun to see where the American game has gone. And obviously, the Canadians, they’re always going to be right there, too.”
