Hawks’ Kane gets ‘cool honor’
DETROIT — Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane was surprised Saturday to get the call from the NHL that he was chosen to be one of the alternate captains for next week’s All-Star Game.
“When you’re not even assistant captain of your team and you’re getting a call to be an assistant captain for the All-Star Game, obviously it’s going to take you a little bit by surprise,” Kane said. “I definitely didn’t think I’d be one of those players getting that call, but it’s a pretty cool honor.”
Kane and Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis will assist captain Nicklas Lidstrom in picking Team Lidstrom in Friday’s live fantasy draft.
Kane joked that Lidstrom asked him on the ice during Saturday’s game whom they should make their first pick.
Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler and Washington’s Mike Green were named alternate captains to assist Eric Staal in selecting Team Staal.
Kane already was getting good-natured pressure from all-star teammates Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp to pick them high.
“It’s a pretty cool honor to have, but a lot of pressure comes with it, I guess, of the players to pick,” Kane said. “Sharpie and Tazer have already talked to me a little bit. They’ve been saying if I pick one before the other, the other is going to be ticked. It’s a tough situation.”
While Kane might have been a surprise choice, the 22-year-old star is considered one of the faces of the NHL and a guy who can be expected to have fun with the whole draft process.
“He’ll bring some flare to it and have some fun with it,” Sharp said.
“From what they told me it’s from the players who have done some good things over the past couple years in the NHL, Olympics, Stanley Cup Finals, different things like that,” Kane said.
“You can look at it whichever way you want, one of the faces of the league, but I’m sure there are lot of players going to the All-Star Game that can earn that honor. I’m just excited to be a part of it.
“The All-Star Game is more fun, and maybe they’re looking at it that way, to pick some of the fun players to be the captains. I probably won’t be telling guys like (Sidney) Crosby and (Alexander) Ovechkin what to do on the ice.”
Hawks coach Joel Quenneville, who will be one of the All-Star Game coaches, was happy to see Kane named an alternate.
“Good for him, it should be fun,” Quenneville said. “It’s a whole new format and a whole new way of thinking. It should definitely be interesting to watch and be around.”