At 34, Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane seems unwilling to slow down. On Saturday, he became the fifth American to reach the plateau of 1,200 career points in the National Hockey League (NHL).
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Kane did it by picking up three points, including one goal, in the 5-2 win over Rangers in New York. He needed 1130 games. He joins Canadian-born Brett Hull (1391 points), Mike Modano (1374 points), Phil Housley (1232 points), and Jeremy Roenick (1216 points).
“It’s obviously nice to get there,” Kane said, according to the NHL’s official website. If you play in the league for a long time, you wait for certain plateaus. Yes it feels good and nice to have him on a night like this where we win and you can also contribute to the team’s success.
When asked if he was aiming for first place with the Blackhawks, Kane was quick to pout. In his eyes, Stan Mikita’s mark of 1467 points is still unattainable.
“He has what, 1400 and a few points? he asked himself. There’s still a long way to go. He’s had an exceptional career in Chicago and probably deserves more than anyone to hold those records. It’s not really something I think about.”
Two more Americans could soon be in the NHL record books. In fact, Phil Kessel (967 points) and Joe Pavelski (949 points) could reach the 1,000-point plateau this season, while Blake Wheeler (888 points) and Paul Statsny (805 points) are keeping their eyes on the target.
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Former Montreal Canadiens Max Domi also contributed with two goals and an assist in the win. With 19 points in 23 games this season, he made a second straight double.
The last time he had a similar cruising speed was 2018-2019 with the Habs. He finished the season with 28 goals and 72 points. The 27-year-old forward also used his platform to praise Kane after the superb performance.
“I’m so happy to be a part of it [soirée] where Patrick Kane had his 1200th point he gushed. It is wonderful. He was my favorite player when I was younger and now he’s my linemate. It’s a remarkable achievement. To be able to see it [attendre 1200 points] personally it was very special.”