3 Red Wings Olympic snubs that will raise eyebrows

Every Olympic cycle, hockey fans and analysts alike scour over the final rosters, debating who made the cut and who was left behind. This year, the Detroit Red Wings find themselves at the center of controversy, at least in my eyes, with three of their standout players—Alex DeBrincat, Simon Edvinsson, and Patrick Kane—shockingly omitted from their respective national teams for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

First off, Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin will represent Team USA, and where we will likely see him adapt a checking or shutdown role, likely anchoring the third line. Lucas Raymond projects as Team Sweden's top player, and Moritz Seider will, of course, anchor the Germans.

Now, onto the more depressing news; despite racking up 22 goals and 42 points this season with the Red Wings, DeBrincat found himself watching from the sidelines while Team USA selected Vincent Trocheck (9 goals, 24 points, minus-7) and J.T. Miller (10 goals, 22 points).

DeBrincat’s offensive output far surpasses both, making his absence even more perplexing, especially when considering his potential chemistry with Dylan Larkin and Patrick Kane, had he been included. We will get to that in a bit.

During the ABC broadcast of the Red Wings-Penguins game this past Saturday afternoon, it was revealed that neither DeBrincat nor Kane was even under consideration for Team USA, according to general manager Bill Guerin. This revelation only adds fuel to the debate, as DeBrincat’s scoring prowess and versatility, paired with his familiarity playing alongside Larkin, would have been assets on the Olympic stage.

Sweden’s defensive anchor left behind

The second omission may be even more egregious from an analytical standpoint. Simon Edvinsson, Detroit’s top-pairing defenceman, was left off Team Sweden’s roster. While roster decisions and player analysis shouldn’t rest solely on analytics, Edvinsson’s underlying numbers suggest he would rank third among Swedish defencemen, which would slot him on the left side of the second pairing—a significant role for a perennial hockey powerhouse.

Instead, Sweden opted for Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Rasmus Andersson, and Gustav Forsling, leaving fans and analysts questioning the selection process. Edvinsson’s combination of size, skating, and two-way play would have been a valuable asset as Sweden pursues Olympic gold.

A legacy snub with power play potential

The third and final snub, Patrick Kane, is perhaps the most surprising from a legacy perspective. While Kane’s game is more one-dimensional at this stage of his career, his elite vision and creativity remain unmatched. Kane is currently two goals away from 500 in his career and is enjoying a very productive season with the Red Wings.

He's notched six goals and 24 points over 28 games this season. He's missed a handful of games in two separate stints this season with an upper-body injury. Still, he has since returned and continues to look as dangerous as ever, particularly on the power play, where he can create with the extra time and space at his disposal.

Team USA’s deep roster could have easily accommodated Kane as a specialty player, particularly on the power play, where he excels at breaking down defensive structures. Even in a sheltered role as a 12th forward, Kane’s experience and offensive spark could have tipped the scales in a tight contest. Instead, the team chose to rely on other forwards, foregoing the chance to leverage Kane’s unique skill set and leadership when it matters most.