NEWSLETTER
Patrick Kane has made another history move up the NHL’s all-time leaderboard.
And this one has a special Chicago tie-in.
With his first period goal in Ottawa, Kane just posted his 1,216th career point.
Waiting for 88 with 1,216 points was Jeremy Roenick, who obviously was one of the premiere offensive players in the NHL for 20 years. Unfortunately for Roenick, Kane had another goal in him in the third period and he is now all alone in third among US-born skaters in NHL history.
The first eight seasons of Roenick’s tremendous career were spent with the Blackhawks, for whom he scored 267 goals with 329 assists for 596 points in 524 games.
Kane spoke about the significance of tying Roenick on the all-time point list.
“It’s special,” Kane said. “JR’s a guy that I looked up to when I was younger as an American kid following his career. Obviously he had an amazing career here in Chicago as one of the more dynamic players in franchise history. It’s pretty cool. We’ve formed a bit of a friendship as the years have gone on and we’ve been around each other being in the league and in Chicago. I have a good relationship with him and it’s pretty incredible given what I thought of him as a player when I was a kid and even now I just think he was so explosive and so dynamic on the ice.”
Kane and Larry Murphy (1,217) now tied for 45th in NHL history. Next on Kane’s climb will is the incredible Jean Beliveau (1,219).
What makes it more special is their shared appreciation for what it means to represent the United States in the NHL. Kane and Roenick are now tied for third on the all-time list for US-born players, with only Mike Modano and Phil Housley are ahead of them. Housley is now 16 points ahead of Kane and Roenick, and only one of those players can actively continue pursing the former Blackhawks’ defenseman on the list.
Stan Mikita is still the leader in Blackhawks’ franchise history with 1,467 career points — all of which came for Chicago. We’ll know soon how much longer Kane will remain a Blackhawk.
