Detroit Red Wings pull surprising player from the lineup moments before facing Blackhawks

When Patrick Kane was traded to the New York Rangers on Feb. 28, 2023, it didn't just end a golden era of Chicago Blackhawks hockey. Some say it could mark the conclusion of the greatest career in team history.

Kane had 1,225 points (446 goals, 779 assists) in 1,161 games over 15 seasons with the Blackhawks. He is second in their history in points and assists behind Stan Mikita (1,467 points, 926 assists), third in goals behind Bobby Hull (604) and Mikita (541), and third in games played behind Mikita (1,396) and Duncan Keith (1,192). Kane helped Chicago to three Stanley Cup championships (2010, 2013, 2015) and was named as one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players, with Keith and Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, to honor 100 years of NHL Hockey on Jan. 27, 2017 in Los Angeles, two days before to the 2017 Honda NHL All-Star Game.

Kane didn't allow a lack of size (5-foot-10, 177 pounds) to get in the way of becoming one of the best United States-born players in NHL history. He is one of two Blackhawks skaters (Mikita) with 1,200 NHL points, reaching the milestone in a 5-2 win against the Rangers on Dec. 3, 2022.

The Blackhawks selected Kane with the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NHL Draft after he had 145 points (62 goals, 83 assists) in 58 games for London of the Ontario Hockey League. He was an instant success, finishing 2007-08 with 72 points (21 goals, 51 assists) and winning the Calder Trophy voted as the NHL rookie of the year while helping Chicago to its first winning season since 2001-02.

By Kane's third season, he was a First Team NHL All-Star and Stanley Cup champion. He scored the Cup-winning goal in overtime of Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final against the Philadelphia Flyers, beating goalie Michael Leighton with a shot that went in and out of the net so quickly that Kane was left to celebrate by himself for several seconds. The goal ended a 49-year championship drought for the Blackhawks.

Kane helped make sure there wouldn't be another lengthy gap between championships in Chicago; he had 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 23 games and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP when the Blackhawks won the Cup in 2013 for the second time in four seasons. In 2015, Kane led all scorers in the postseason with 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 23 games to help Chicago win the Cup for the third time in six seasons.