Patrick Kane is heading into another season with a long list of milestones within reach, and the numbers keep piling up in ways that underline just how deep his place in Blackhawks history already runs.
The biggest one on deck is 900 career assists. Kane sits at 892, which puts him just eight away from another major mark. Evgeni Malkin is the next closest active player at 874, 26 short of 900, but Kane is the one on the verge of getting there first.
That total already places Kane 22nd all-time in NHL assists, and he needs only three more to pass Phil Housley’s 894 and move into 21st. Given how consistently Kane has driven offense throughout his career, the finish line doesn’t look far off.
His 82-game assist average is 53, and even last season with the Detroit Red Wings he posted 41 assists in 67 games. With players like Connor Bedard around him, another productive year in Chicago feels well within reach.
There’s more history coming on the Blackhawks side, too. Kane is signed for two years in Chicago, and he’ll keep climbing the franchise charts while he’s there.
He already ranks second in team history in assists with 779 and points with 1,225. He’s third in goals with 446 and third in games played with 1,161.
The chase ahead is obvious. Stan Mikita still sits in front of him in assists, points and goals. Bobby Hull remains the franchise leader in goals with 604, and Kane will at least make that race more interesting before his time in Chicago is done.
Games played could be the next Blackhawks mark to fall. Kane is only 32 appearances away from passing Duncan Keith’s 1,192 and moving into second place in franchise history.
And while the milestones matter, the way Kane gets there matters just as much. The assists aren’t empty boxes to check off; they’re the kind that move the game, lift teammates and keep the scoreboard working for Chicago. That fits the reason he gave for coming back.
He said regarding his return last month, in part, "I feel like for me... you know, obviously the story's great coming back to Chicago, and being a Blackhawk again, and kind of where I spend my summers and Chicago being my home. I think all that is great.
But I think, most importantly, it was just about coming to a team where I think I can fit in well. A team that's on the rise.
A team that's looking to make some big steps forward and trying to make the playoffs. And, you know, like I talked about all that other stuff, I think all that's great, but that's not why I'm here.
That's not the story, right? It's to come back, help this team win, and help this team get in the playoffs..."
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Blackhawks Fans Are Still Waiting For The Connor Bedard Reset
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For now, the rest of the league is sorting out its own business, from contract talk in Minnesota to injury uncertainty in Florida, while Chicago keeps looking ahead to a season that will again be judged through Bedards lens. Even the long view is starting to come into focus, with single-game tickets for 2026-27 already on sale, a reminder that the Blackhawks are still selling the future as much as the present while fans wait for the reset everyone expected. [Read more 🡒]