By Another night, another record for Patrick Kane. The Chicago Blackhawks forward became the NHL’s career leader in assists among U.S.-born players on Thursday night, earning his 895th career assist on Connor Bedard’s game-opening power-play goal against the Winnipeg Jets.
Patrick Kane (Credits: AP)
The milestone helper, which came in the first period of Chicago’s eventual 4-3 win at the United Center, moved Kane past Hall of Fame defenseman Phil Housley, who held the American record with 894 assists. Kane reached 895 in his 1,377th game — more than 100 games faster than Housley’s 1,496.
One More Entry in the American GOAT Resume
The 37-year-old from Buffalo, New York, is stacking records late in his career. Last year Kane set the record for most points by an American NHLer, passing Mike Modano’s 1,374 — and Thursday’s assist pushed his career total to 1,404 points.
It’s fitting that the record came while wearing a Blackhawks sweater again. Kane signed a two-year contract in July to return to Chicago, where he won three Stanley Cups during his first 16 NHL seasons after being selected first overall in the 2007 draft. The 2016 league MVP and scoring champion is now in his 20th NHL season — and still piling up history.
A Symbolic Pass to the Next Generation
There was poetry in the assist itself: it came on a goal by Bedard, the young captain leading Chicago’s new era. Kane feeding Bedard on the power play felt like a torch-passing moment — the franchise’s greatest American scorer setting up its current star to clinch his own place in the record books.
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Source: ESPN — read the full story there.
