If Patrick Kane retired today would you consider him the best American player ever?

If Patrick Kane retired today would you consider him the best American player ever?


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    223

Trap Jesus

Registered User
Feb 13, 2012
28,686
13,456
He's 11th for points but 3rd for points per game behind Hull and LaFontaine.

NHL.com - Stats

4th for playoff points but 2nd for playoff points per game behind Kevin Stevens (minimum 100 games).*

NHL.com - Stats

Kane and Hull are the only American Hart Trophy winners

*Edit: Leetch is ahead of him for playoff points per game with 95 games played
 
Last edited:

bobholly39

Registered User
Mar 10, 2013
22,078
14,589
No. Brett Hull is better, easily so.

By the time he retires? Maybe. It'll be close.
 

Chips

Registered User
Aug 19, 2015
8,309
7,053
Certainly could be argued, I won’t say confidently who not knowing every name given 100% tho.
 

Sempiternal

Registered User
Jul 5, 2014
3,460
1,944
I still consider Mike Modano to be the best.

It's subjective, and there's other stats besides points. Patrick Kane is in the Top 5 for me and could maybe sway me to choose him over Modano one day.
 

The Macho King

Back* to Back** World Champion
Jun 22, 2011
48,609
28,846
Chris Chelios and it's not particularly close for me. Chelios is a top 50 player easily. Kane is a borderline top 100 player.
 
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Rogue Winger

Registered User
Mar 10, 2018
102
64
Hull and Chelios were also elite in their prime and Kane is just one candidate. Hard to compare because of different eras and all are different kind of players with their own strenghts. Especially Chelios who was both elite and entertaining nutcase in his younger days.

Leetch and Modano could be argued aswell. Pat LaFontaine had all the finesse talent, but lacked size and health.

I don't have a strong opinion about this, but voted "no" anyway. There could be some generation bias.
 

jetsforever

Registered User
Dec 14, 2013
27,202
23,057
Yes. Also for me Hull is Canadian. :sarcasm:

I see the sarcasm but I actually agree. He'd never be considered among American players if he didn't by chance play for the USA team. He was born in Canada and mostly grew up there, plus his dad is a Canadian legend.
 

Ted Hoffman

The other Rick Zombo
Dec 15, 2002
28,859
8,113
Yes, and it's no shot at Chelios or Modano or Leetch or Hull or anyone else mentioned. And I say that as a Blues fan who hates Kane's guts.

Do I think he's got another major award in him? Maybe not, but after a few more years "stat accumulation" will kick in and that's what will get a lot of people's attention. I just watch how he can control a game regardless of who's on the ice with him and how he can carry the team when everyone else is playing like shit; that's something no other U.S. player could do outside of Chelios, and I think Chelios damaged his overall record by just kind of hanging around those last few years.
 

The Macho King

Back* to Back** World Champion
Jun 22, 2011
48,609
28,846
Yes, and it's no shot at Chelios or Modano or Leetch or Hull or anyone else mentioned. And I say that as a Blues fan who hates Kane's guts.

Do I think he's got another major award in him? Maybe not, but after a few more years "stat accumulation" will kick in and that's what will get a lot of people's attention. I just watch how he can control a game regardless of who's on the ice with him and how he can carry the team when everyone else is playing like ****; that's something no other U.S. player could do outside of Chelios, and I think Chelios damaged his overall record by just kind of hanging around those last few years.
Chelios' record is fine - it makes no sense that post-prime years are held against him. We saw what he could do at his best. We saw that he was at his best for a long time (to the point of finishing 2nd in Norris voting at what, 40? 41?). Him having a poor end of the career does nothing to change what was a long and elite prime.

I don't think his post-lockout seasons *add* to his resume, mind you. But they certainly don't detract from it either, except insofar as people who only saw late career Chelios don't adequately respect who he was in his prime.
 

Incognito

Registered User
Oct 18, 2008
6,430
2,955
Toronto, Ontario
I see the sarcasm but I actually agree. He'd never be considered among American players if he didn't by chance play for the USA team. He was born in Canada and mostly grew up there, plus his dad is a Canadian legend.

Just to add to this, it's not like Hull even really chose to play for the Americans specifically. They were just his backup plan after he wasn't selected for Team Canada.
 
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