Perhaps the most difficult task for Kane, ahead of his 20th NHL season and second go-round with the Chicago Blackhawks, is narrowing down the list of things he’s most excited about.
A return to the team that drafted him into the league in 2007, bringing a veteran voice to a young lineup, getting the chance to play in another NHL Global Series game – the 37-year-old has plenty to look forward to.
“I’m excited to go out there and be a Blackhawk again, playing in Chicago in front of these fans, and with some great new teammates,” said Kane, who signed a two-year contract with the Original Six team this July. “It’s going to be fun playing with some young guys, getting to know them on and off the ice, and helping them, too.”
Kane wasted no time making impact in his return to the Blackhawks lineup on Sept. 29, logging 21:36 while scoring with his signature flair on a breakaway.
Kane, who was selected first overall by the Blackhawks in the 2007 NHL Draft, is keen to take on a mentorship role for a team blessed with an abundance of young talent. That group includes newly announced team captain and elite scorer Connor Bedard, 2024 second overall pick Artyum Levshunov, 2025 third overall pick Anton Frondell and burgeoning star Frank Nazar who was drafted 13th overall by the club in 2022.
Whether it’s offering a few words of advice, answering questions or working alongside them in practice, he’s all in.
“I want to do whatever I can to help these guys reach their potential because there is a lot of potential with this group, young guys with great skill, great speed and great shots. Whatever I can do to help develop their game and their hockey sense –that’s something I am looking forward to.”
Kane is already impressed with the character and skill shown by his new teammates.
“I would tell them to enjoy their youth, to enjoy each time they come to the rink. It is a young man’s game now, so that is where we can really become a good team. We have a lot of great young players, a lot of guys who are hungry to excel in their roles. It is really a good group of young guys and veterans. I have had a lot of fun getting to know these guys and hanging out with them. They are full of energy and they are full of joy, always happy to be around the rink and always in a good mood. It’s been great.”
In Kane, they get a future hall of famer with a plethora of past successes in the Windy City.
The Buffalo-born Kane played his first 16 NHL seasons in Chicago, during which he won the Stanley Cup three times (2010, 2013 and 2015). In the 2015-16 season, he won the Art Ross Trophy, the Hart Memorial Trophy and also took home the Ted Lindsay Award as most outstanding player voted by members of the NHLPA. Kane also took home the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year in 2007-08 and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP in 2013 – all in a Blackhawks uniform.
Kane, who has spent the past three campaigns with the Detroit Red Wings, has amassed over 1,400 regular-season NHL points in games played between the Red Wings, New York Rangers and Blackhawks.
He ranks third in Chicago franchise history in goals (446), behind Hockey Hall of Famers Bobby Hull (604) and Stan Mikita (541), second in assists (779) and points (1,225). He also sits third on Chicago's all-time list with 1,161 games played, behind Mikita (1,396) and another Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Duncan Keith (1,192).
While proud of the numbers he’s put up, Kane, who surpassed Mike Modano's record for points by a U.S.-born player upon scoring his 1,375th on Jan. 29, isn’t interested in dwelling on past accomplishments.
“As a player, you are always trying to prove yourself, always trying to show that you can still play at a high level, and it’s not just things you did in the past that make you an intriguing player, someone who is looked at as having done some great things in the league. You want to be about how you are playing in the present.”
That said, he does have some memorable – and, in some cases, funny – stories from his first few NHL games.
‘My first NHL game was in Minnesota. I didn’t really have a good pre-season, so I was happy and grateful to be playing, and having the opportunity to prove myself in those first nine games. We ended up losing 1-0, so it was a tough first one.
“The next game was a home opener against Detroit. We came back and tied the game 3-3 and I ended up scoring in a shootout against Dominik Hasek, who was one of my boyhood heroes. Growing up in Buffalo and watching how great he was – I was obviously a huge Sabres fan and went to a bunch of games – and then to go up against him was amazing. That was the moment when I realized I was in the NHL. You kind of take a step back and let that sink in.
“It was cool to have that moment to go up against him. After the game, I was in the hallway and he was walking by. My dad asked him if it was okay to get a picture with me. I think he thought I was a fan at first, but after the picture, he looked at me and said, ‘Aren’t you that kid who just scored on me?’ That is always a funny memory for me.”
Kane has ample opportunity to add make memories.
One of these will come in December, when the Blackhawks face off against the Ottawa Senators in a pair of regular-season games at PSD Bank Dome in Düsseldorf, Germany, as part of the NHL Global Series.
“I am excited to go to Germany. We went over to Berlin before and played Philadelphia, which was in 2019 with the Blackhawks. I’m really looking forward to getting over there and playing a couple of games.
“I really enjoyed playing in Switzerland, where I played during the lockout. I played for a team called [EHC] Biel, and I also played in the Spengler Cup, both were a lot of fun. I always have a lot of good things to say about Switzerland, whether it’s the league or just the country, in general.
“I’ve always enjoyed that international side to the game, whether it’s NHL or playing in tournaments. It’s always good to see what the game is like in a different atmosphere, playing in front of different fans, and a whole different experience.”
With another chapter beginning in Chicago, Kane will be adding to his already memorable career, , this time, alongside a new generation of Blackhawks.
