Participating in the NHL player media tour, Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane was also making his best lobbying efforts to convince the powers that be how much they need his presence on the US Olympic team next year.

“You’re going to pick me for the player I am,” Kane said. “Not for the player I was in the past.”

Actually, picking Kane for the player he is right now isn’t a bad idea at all. In a limited role, the 36-year-old winger could prove invaluable to the US cause.

After a decorated professional hockey career, Patrick Kane still has his eyes on one last achievement: Olympic gold. 🥇 pic.twitter.com/yUm8Rl9QwI

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) September 3, 2025

Something to keep in mind about IIHF events, such as the Olympic Games. In the NHL, teams suit up 18 skaters. In international hockey, teams may dress up to 20 skaters.

Imagine, if you will, Kane suiting up as one of those two additional players, serving as a power-play specialist for Team USA.

He could be a difference maker.

Kane certainly was that last season for Detroit’s power play, which ranked fourth in the NHL.

“The way he sees the game, not a lot of other players, if anyone, see it that way,” Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond said. “It’s about finding open ice and trusting that he finds the spot that makes sense.

“He’s a huge part of our power play, not just with his scoring touch but with setting up plays and off the ice as well. His insight there is big.”

Red Wings Kane Would Be A Valuable US Asset

At this stage of his career, no, you don’t want Kane playing 15-17 minutes in a best-on-best format. However, 6-8 minutes on the power play, and perhaps in a late-game empty-net situation when his team is chasing a tying goal, that might be an ideal scenario.

“You always have to have him on your side with the kind of player he is,” Anaheim Ducks goalie Petr Mrazek said. “He proved that over the years. In big games, he always delivers.”

Kane’s creativity and hockey IQ, combined with his unbridled desire to win, might be a massive addition.

Patrick Kane enters 2025-26 on the cusp of multiple career milestones, but it’s more than just the numbers that keep the forward going ahead of his 19th NHL season. #NHLStats

Read more: https://t.co/lGTyEKJP5z pic.twitter.com/2Twi6asRyJ

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) September 11, 2025

“I think he’s got the same amount of passion and drive for the game now as he probably did in Game 13,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said. “Maybe more. And he believes he can have an impact on the game nightly. And quite often he does so.

“It’s remarkable.”

Kane has enjoyed successive 20-goal seasons since joining the Red Wings. And he thinks he’s only scratching the surface of what he might still be capable of accomplishing on the ice.

“When I look at my season, I still think there’s a lot left out there that I left on the table,” Kane said of the 2024-25 campaign. “I still think there’s more that can come from me.

“I don’t want to say I’m totally disappointed with my year, but I still think there’s more to give.”