The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan filed an afternoon notebook today, discussing Patrick Kane’s desire to play in the 2026 Olympics despite missing the Four Nations Face-Off:
“This year I didn’t play well enough to be picked for the team,” Kane said. “So it’s not like I’m blaming anyone or anything besides myself.”
At the time [the roster was picked] in December, that was generally true. But as the Wings begin their final push to the end of the regular season, Kane, 36, is looking like his usual self, the one nearing 500 career goals (483 entering Sunday) and who has 1,316 points.
Kane had one assist in Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss to Minnesota, giving him 20 on the season. That’s the 18th consecutive season Kane has had at least 20 assists. Further, Kane has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in his last 16 games, dating to Dec. 29.
The slow start is becoming an afterthought. And, likely, Kane is beginning to make a case for the next international competition next year, the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
“It’s tough,” Kane said of not being part of the Team USA’s 4 Nations team. “You definitely want to be there, and you feel like you’re missing out on some great hockey and great opportunity, too. Personally, you start looking back, I mean we (NHL players) missed nine years of (international competition), right? So, those first four, five, or six years of those nine years were some of the best hockey I’ve played in my life, so obviously you think about those opportunities that were missed, whether it was the (2018, 2022) Olympics or not having the World Cup.”
Continued; it would be good to see Kane stick around for the sake of playing in the Olympics…
