DETROIT – In the Red Wings’ win over the Capitals on Thursday night, Patrick Kane became the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history with his 1,375th career point.
The record-breaking point came on an assist, allowing Kane to surpass Mike Modano, who held the previous record of 1,374 points. Kane reached the milestone a few months after his 37th birthday, whereas Modano was 40 when he registered his 1,374th point.
Kane has been a prominent figure in American hockey since the Chicago Blackhawks selected him with the first overall pick in the 2007 draft. He served as a co-headliner for one of the league’s most successful runs in the salary-cap era, helping the team win three Stanley Cups between 2010 and 2015.His unique style of play is credited with changing the sport.
Beyond team success, Kane has earned several of the league’s highest individual honors. He won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in the 2007-2008 season. He later earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2013 and the Hart Trophy as the regular-season MVP in the 2015-2016 season, the same year he led the NHL in scoring.
The scoring record follows another major milestone Kane reached earlier this month, when he became the 50th player in NHL history and the fifth American to score 500 goals. He joined a list of U.S. goal scorers that includes Keith Tkachuk, Jeremy Roenick and Joe Mullen. While Kane holds the record for U.S.-born players, Brett Hull, a dual citizen born in Canada who played for the U.S. internationally, finished his career with 741 goals and 1,391 points.
