American NHL players reflect with Patrick Kane on brink of history: 'Absolute legend'

Jack Hughes looked around the room.

USA Hockey was holding a summer orientation session for the country's NHL stars ahead of the league's Olympic return.

"There's 44 guys there," Hughes, a centre for the New Jersey Devils, recalled of that late-August gathering. "And probably like 35 of them, their favourite player growing up was Patrick Kane."

The three-time Stanley Cup winner and veteran of the 2010 and 2014 Games, always a long shot for the 2026 event at age 37, was present for those meetings but didn't make the final cut when the American roster was announced.

Kane's influence still will be on full display when the U.S. hits the ice in Italy next month.

"Special career," said Vegas Golden Knights centre Jack Eichel, set to make his Olympic debut at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games with the NHL back for the first time in 12 years. "When you think of USA Hockey, he's one of the first players that comes to mind, if not the first."

Hughes, also poised to play at the Games for the first time, said Kane's quick hands, flash and flair for the dramatic left a mark on a generation of Americans.

"He's maybe got the best highlight reel of all time," Hughes said. "As a kid, you watch all of his videos, and you're like, 'That's the guy you want to be.'

"He's 'Showtime,’ definitely changed the game."

Kane is also on the verge of sitting atop his nation's all-time scoring list.

The Buffalo native reached 500 goals, the fifth American to touch the mark, last week and is just four points shy of passing Mike Modano's record of 1,374 for a U.S.-born player.

Now a winger for the Detroit Red Wings after a stint with the New York Rangers, Kane was a key part of Chicago's dynasty that hoisted the Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015. The