One of the first things you come to learn about the man when you get to spend some time around Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane is that he is a stand-up guy.
He blames no one when things aren’t going his way, choosing to shoulder the load all by himself.
“He’s a pretty noble man,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. “You know, he’s not bitching or complaining about anything.”
Things aren’t going Kane’s way at the moment. He’s gone eight games without a goal. Since coming back from a nine-game absence due to an upper-body injury, Kane has accounted for one goal in 12 games. He’s on pace for a 10-goal season.
What’s even more alarming is that this NHL superstar, this Hall of Famer in waiting, who is closing in on 500 career goals, is missing sitters. Easy goals, gilt-edge scoring opportunities, are going by the wayside.
“He’s had some real good looks,” McLellan said. “One timer looks. Some tough empty netters. Not easy empty netters, but competition around him.”
Even so, normally, McLellan knows that when you put a talent like Kane in that scenario, the illumination of a red lamp behind the opposition net is imminent.
“That’s money for him that it goes in, and he’s missing,” McLellan said.
Sway shut ’em down ❌❌❌ pic.twitter.com/imGflAaTDy
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) November 30, 2025
Shootouts are almost always money for Kane as well. Kane has 53 career shootout goals, which is the most in NHL history.
In Saturday’s 3-2 shootout loss at Boston, Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman made a relatively routine glove save on Kane’s shootout attempt.
Is It Time For The Red Wings To Worry About Kane?
Kane did make a sweet pass to set up Michael Rasmussen for the goal that sent the game to the shootout. His silky mitts are still in evidence when he’s dishing the puck. It’s the finishing touch that’s proving elusive for Kane.
Opportunities have been presented. Kane has 40 shots on goal during his past 12 games. Just one of those shots has got in behind a goalkeeper and into the net.
McLellan has tried different centers to get Kane going. Marco Kasper, JT Compher, Nate Danielson, and Andrew Copp have all taken turns in the middle of his line.
Kane turned 37 only 10 days ago, so the logical question must be posed: Is Father Time catching up to Showtime?
2025 Patrick Kane
Showtime might be cooked.
Red Wings add to just an awful week of Detroit sports failure. pic.twitter.com/Daa4N8uBpH
— Spencer Raxter (@Spenmorax) November 30, 2025
For now, the Red Wings are attributing Kane’s struggles to the recovery rate from his injury.
“Earlier this season, he had an upper-body injury,” McLellan said. “So, are there lingering effects? There could be.
“He missed three and a half weeks, so I don’t know if there are lingering effects or not, but usually there are in those situations. Especially those one-timers on the power play and some of the empty netters.”
