Patrick Kane sits just eight goals shy of 500 for his career, but the milestone will have to wait as the American star contends with an injury.
Kane missed Sunday’s matchup against the Edmonton Oilers at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit after crashing hard into the boards during the Red Wings’ 2-1 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday. He skated for a single shift in overtime and did not participate in practice on Saturday. The team confirmed early Sunday that Kane is dealing with an upper-body injury.
Injuries are piling up for the Detroit Red Wings
While the Red Wings have posted an impressive 5-1 start to the season—drawing notice across the league—this early success had been anticipated during the offseason. Still, injuries are beginning to take a toll. Lucas Raymond has missed two consecutive games after sustaining an upper-body injury on a hit during the second period of a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs nearly a week ago.
As one of Detroit’s standout players, Raymond’s absence underscores the significance of the team’s early success and highlights the depth the Wings have assembled this year. Raymond played in Sunday's game.
Top prospect Nate Danielson, projected to be a future star, also fell victim to injury during the preseason. He sustained a setback on September 27 in a 5-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres and was listed as out indefinitely. While Danielson resumed skating a few days later, he is still not ready to return to game action, and details of his injury have been kept private.
Losing Patrick Kane stings
Injuries are an inevitable part of hockey, but losing key contributors is always consequential. Kane may no longer be the player he once was, yet he has remained a point-per-game performer at this stage of the season.
Both of his goals this year have been highlights, particularly the one-timer against the Maple Leafs on October 11. The hope remains that his injury is minor and that he can return soon to continue his pursuit of the 500-goal milestone.