The media fuss over Patrick Kane’s pursuit of his 500th NHL goal doesn’t rise to the level of scrutiny that his five-year-old son brings to the chase.
The Detroit Red Wings right wing scored his 498th NHL goal on Dec. 13, in Chicago, against his former Chicago Blackhawks team. But he suffered an undisclosed injury that same night. That sidelined him six games. He’s been back three games and hasn’t yet found the net.
His son, Patrick III, isn’t pleased that this challenge is taking so long.
"Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah," Kane said. "He gets mad at me now when we play and I don't score and I'm stuck…
Right now, before every game he tells his Dad to go get 499.
“He's staying on top of it,” Patrick II says. “He's into that stuff. He just turned five. So he's at a pretty good age now where he's loving numbers and stats and players on the team and, the way everyone tapes their stick, all that type of stuff, their numbers, things like that. It's a fun age for sure.”
It’s a fun time for the NHL veteran who hopes to soon become the 49th player to score 500 in this league and then pass Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Modano to become No. 1 American-born points producer in NHL history.
Kane, 37, picked up an assist in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on New Year’s Day. He now needs only eight points to reach the 1,375 career points needed to pass Modano to become the top American-born career scorer.
Kane has always appreciated NHL history, particularly as it pertains to American-born players. Kane is a Buffalo native.
“I”ve been a big fan of Mike since his playing days,” Kane said, “and when I meet him, coming into the league was really a surreal moment for me. Loved the way he played, his flair, his style, the jersey flapping when he was skating. How effortless he played. And some of his highlights were definitely things I was watching growing up.
No one pushes Kane harder than he pushes himself, except maybe his son.
“He’s like, you got to work harder,” Kane says. “I’m like, ‘You’re right. I have to.’”
Kane seems amused about how his son pushes him. Maybe the give-and-take with his son provides him some comic relief.
“He’s a great age,” Kane said. “He’s kind of my biggest fan in some ways… He’ll be in the crowd talking to strangers and telling everyone his whole life story – who he is, who his family is and who is dad is and how old we are. Things like that. He’s not afraid to tell anyone anything. Sometimes you have to quiet him a little bit.
Maybe he should quiet his son who seems to understand that his dad has done some things worth talking about non-stop.