Jack Johnson has found his next chapter in hockey, and it takes him back to his home state.
The former Colorado Avalanche defenseman and Stanley Cup champion is joining Ohio State University's women's hockey program as an associate coach, marking the first coaching position of his post-playing career after a brief stint in NHL scouting.
Johnson, who helped the Avalanche capture the Stanley Cup in 2022, spent three seasons in Colorado across two separate stints. While he wasn't the flashiest player on a roster loaded with stars, he became a trusted veteran presence in the locker room and a dependable depth defenseman during one of the most successful stretches in franchise history.
After retiring following the 2024-25 season, Johnson initially stayed in the NHL by accepting a pro scouting role with the Vancouver Canucks in January. That opportunity proved to be short-lived, as he has now departed the organization less than a year later to move behind the bench.
The coaching opportunity also brings Johnson back to Ohio, where he grew up before becoming one of the country's most highly touted hockey prospects. The former No. 3 overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft played 19 seasons in the NHL, appearing in 1,228 regular-season games with the Los Angeles Kings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, and Avalanche.
Johnson finished his NHL career with 77 goals and 265 assists, but his greatest accomplishment came in Colorado, where he lifted the Stanley Cup during the Avalanche's 2021-22 championship run.
Now, he'll look to help build another winner.
Johnson joins an Ohio State women's program that has emerged as one of college hockey's premier powers, winning NCAA national championships in both 2022 and 2024. Instead of mentoring NHL veterans, he'll now help develop the next generation of elite players as he begins what could be a long coaching career.
On July 23, The Athletic released its revised lists of the NHL's best and worst contracts, and as expected, the Calgary Flames found themselves on the worst list, but in an odd twist to the rankings, also found themselves on the best list.
As a rebuilding team with good NHL Draft Lottery odds, it is quite surprising to see them with such a bad contract that they'd be on the worst list, since the goal is to be younger and cheaper. Still, there's no denying that Jonathan Huberdeau's $10.5 million salary does complicate bookkeeping at the Saddledome.
With all this negative press about one player's mosterous contract, it kinda overshadows the excitement that the Flames have Dustin Wolf locked up until the next decade on a relatively inexpensive deal. If he happens to win the Vezina Trophy before his deal expires in 2033, there's no denying his $7.5 million could be considered the heist of the century.
Today, we discuss why these deals popped up on The Athletic's lists and what it means long term for the organization as they move into Scotia Place next season.
Huberdeau's contract continues to be the NHL's worst
For the third consecutive year, Huberdeau's $84 million contract, which pays him $10.5 million annually, ranks as the league's worst contract. After scoring 115 points in 2021-22, he came to Calgary via a trade and was immediately signed to a blockbuster deal.
In his first season, he scored 15 goals and 55 points, exactly 60 points fewer than the year before. He collected even fewer points in 2023-24, with just 12 goals and 52 points and a team-worst minus-29 rating. Despite bouncing back with 28 goals and 62 points in 2024-25, he only skated in 50 games last year, scoring 10 goals and 25 points.
In 2026-27, Huberdeau's contract will count 10.1% towards the Flames' cap, and at 33, many believe his best days are behind him. Hopefully, coming back from hip surgery will give him a chance to find chemistry with the team's young core, but for the past few seasons, Calgary has been one of the lowest teams in the NHL.
Considering his hefty salary, everyone expects more from Huberdeau, but with unappealing statistics, it makes it almost impossible to trade him and offer him a change of scenery and a fresh start.
Wolf is the only reason the Flames haven't hit rock bottom
All-Rookie goalie Wolf is about to begin his new contract extension, which will pay him $7.5 million for the next seven seasons. As the undisputed number one goalie, the Flames will only go as far as Wolf can carry them. Last year, for the first time in his professional hockey career, he produced a losing season, posting a 23-29-3 record as Calgary secured the fourth-best draft lottery odds.
As the organization continues to rebuild, Wolf is the only reason one of the lowest-scoring teams isn't being run out of every building they play in. He had a spectacular 2024-25 campaign, going 29-16-8 and kept the Flames close to a wildcard spot, only losing out in the final weeks of the season.
Throughout their history, Calgary has had some great goalies, but there hasn't been a single youngster to come in and ignite the fanbase as Wolf has since Miikka Kiprusoff in the early 2000s.
Do you agree with The Athletic's assessments of the league's best and worst contracts? Are their opinions on Huberdeau and Wolf valid? Let us know what you think in the comments.
The final two players — Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger and Florida Panthers goalie Akira Schmid — settled on Friday, July 24. Their cases were scheduled for next week.
Settling early is typical, as filing for arbitration creates a deadline for both sides to get a deal done and avoid having an independent arbitrator set a salary.
Here are the 15 players who filed for arbitration, when they were supposed to have hearings and the deals that they reached by settling early (dates and salary figures from puckpedia.com):
On Friday, the Chicago Blackhawks introduced Patrick Kane at a press-conference held at Blackhawks Ice Center. This came just one day after announcing that he was back on a two-year deal with an average annual value of $8 million.
Kane talked about a wide variety of topics based on questions that were presented to him, but there was one recurring theme.
He wanted to make it abundantly clear that he is not coming back for some legacy "ride off into the sunset" reason. He wants to win, he wants to play at a high level, and he wants to help the young players take that next step.
"Obviously the story is great, coming back to Chicago and being a Blackhawk again," Kane said. "But most importantly, it was about coming to a team where I think I can fit in well, a team that's on the rise."
Well, Kane is certainly going to fit in well. You could let him play right wing with any of Connor Bedard, Anton Frondell, or Frank Nazar, and he would perform. He is also going to play a key role in them improving their bottom-five power play from a year ago.
Kane is well aware that his coming back is a wonderful piece of nostalgia. He is one of the greatest Blackhawks ever, and he is returning after a couple of years away. It is a feel-good story for a Chicago legend. However, nobody involved in the deal getting done would have gone through with it if that were the only benefit.
"It’s not like I’m coming back home to ride off into the sunset," Kane said. "I want to be a big player here and help the team win."
Are the Blackhawks good enough to be a playoff team now that Kane is there? It is hard to say. The Central Division is very top-heavy with the Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, and Utah Mammoth, but the rest could go in a variety of different orders. At this point, every team sees itself as a potential playoff threat.
The elephant in the room is Connor Bedard's injury. With or without Kane, it set the Blackhawks back when he had to have shoulder surgery. He is aiming to come back in mid-November, but he is going to try incredibly hard to be back before that. The Kane news fired him up, and that will force him to work extra hard on coming back as quickly as possible.
If Patrick Kane can help them stay afloat while Bedard is on the shelf, and they can turn on the gas once he returns, the Blackhawks will be in much better shape. He will also help them in the long term by implementing some of his on-ice wisdom into the young players. His motivation to be great and help those around him be great makes this an impactful signing already.
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John Tortorella hasn't closed the door on coaching at 68, some two months after his latest, brief stint ended two wins short of a Stanley Cup and not being rehired by the Vegas Golden Knights.
“Oh, I want to coach,” Tortorella told The Athletic this week in a story posted on Friday. “I want to coach now. I’m not sure if that happens, and that’s where I am in my career. But I wanted to coach that Vegas team. I told (general manager Kelly McCrimmon) that.”
Tortorella’s tenure in Vegas began with him replacing the fired Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the regular season. And it ended in mid-June with the Golden Knights losing the Stanley Cup Final in six games to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Though Tortorella pushed for his return, he said he respected McCrimmon's decision to promote minor-league coach Ryan Craig.
“They’ve been developing (Craig) for a number of years there,” he said. “He’s a good coach and a good man.”
Tortorella has 24 seasons of NHL head-coaching experience, with the Golden Knights representing his seventh stop — including two separate tenures with the New York Rangers. He enjoyed his longest stint with Tampa Bay, spanning 2000-01 to 2007-08, during which he won his only Stanley Cup in 2004. He also coached in Columbus, Philadelphia and Vancouver.
From Boston, Tortorella is sixth on the NHL list and first among U.S.-born coaches with 1,628 games coached. Tortorella’s 777 career wins rank second among U.S.-born coaches behind Peter Laviolette’s 846. With a 70-72 career playoff record, he’s 20th on the NHL list in wins.
Tortorella lamented coming up short on winning a second Cup.
“I guess the word I’d use is disappointed,” Tortorella said.
“We didn’t finish the job, and I wanted some more time with that club to try to finish the job. That’s not my call. That’s the general manager and president’s call,” he added. “You just get about your business after that.”
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Hockey Hall of Fame player Cammi Granato is changing roles within the Vancouver Canucks’ front office.
Granato will work as a senior amateur adviser after serving as assistant general manager for parts of five seasons, general manager Ryan Johnson said Friday.
“After taking some time to reflect on things, I feel this is the perfect time to transition into a new role with the Canucks,” Granato said in a statement released by the team. "Helping on the amateur side is something I am extremely passionate about, and I am thrilled to continue working with our hockey operations department on that front. I have great confidence in our front office leadership group and love their vision and the direction they are taking with the team.”
Former president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford, who stepped down from his role in May, hired Granato in February 2022 after the women’s hockey icon became the NHL’s first female scout with the Seattle Kraken. Granato, from suburban Chicago, was the captain of the U.S. women’s hockey team that beat Canada to win gold at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.
The Canucks have undergone wholesale changes in the front office, hiring Johnson as GM along with franchise icons Henrik and Daniel Sedin as co-presidents of hockey operations after finishing last in the overall NHL standings last season. They hired a new coach, Manny Malhotra, in June.
The Florida Panthers took care of an important piece of business on Friday.
With just over a week remaining until their scheduled arbitration hearing, the Panthers and goaltender Akira Schmid came to an agreement on a new two-year contract.
The deal comes with an average annual value (AAV) of $2 million, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman.
Photo caption: Dec 11, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Vegas Golden Knights goaltenderAkiraSchmid(40) against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)
While other teams are adding pieces and paying dearly for them, Montreal Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes is staying on the straight and narrow, content to re-sign his budding stars to team-friendly deals.
Yesterday, the Chicago Blackhawks signed veteran winger Patrick Kane to a 2-year deal with an $8 million cap hit. Before signing that deal, the American had signed three one-year contracts with the Detroit Red Wings, with cap hits of $2.75 M, $4 M, and $3 M. The amount of the deal surprised me.
Granted, Chicago had the cap room to give him that kind of deal, but it could lead to a ripple effect across the league and in Kyle Davidson’s own team as well. When Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, Ryan Donato and Jordan Greenway need a new deal, they’ll remember Davidson giving Kane $8 M after he put out seasons of 47, 59 and 57 points.
Grant McCagg made an interesting comparison on his Habscast podcast: by the 2027-2028 season, the Canadiens will have Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov and David Reinbacher for $42.1 million, who combined for 402 points last season. Meanwhile, Chicago will have only four players for that same amount of money: Connor Bedard, Patrick Kane, Bowen Byram and Frank Nazar. Their 2025-26 point output stood at 215 points.
Needless to say, the Canadiens are in much better financial shape than the Hawks are. Had the price tag been reasonable for Kane, since he has already made plenty of money over the course of his career, he could have been a good addition to the Canadiens’ top six, but not at that price. The Habs are building both a roster and a culture in which players must want to be part of something rather than be the thing to quote Hughes at Demidov’s new contract press conference.
A 35-year-old who commands an $8 M cap hit might have helped the Canadiens in the now, but that’s not the only thing to consider. Hughes has always said that he won’t spend money to spend money, and he’s been true to his word so far. It will likely mean that the roster improvement will come from organic growth rather than outside help, but so far, that has paid off well for the Canadiens.
When the organization’s new regime came into place, they invested in a sports science and analytics department, they hired the best skills coach in the business in Adam Nicholas, they invested in helping their players improve, and we’re seeing dividends every year. Of course, coach Martin St-Louis is also part of the reason why his players can improve, but one fact remains: Geoff Molson wasn’t scared to invest in coaching and preparation, and it’s paying off. Suzuki has been on an incredible rise ever since he started in the NHL, Caufield’s become a much more complete player, Slafkovsky has shown and learned that he can be more than the supporting cast of the Suzuki-Caufield double act, Hutson has improved on a rookie season that was record-setting, and one has to wonder what Demidov’s sophomore season will look like.
Of course, eventually, Hughes will have to pay up if he wants to get outside help. Still, with his players’ meteoric rise, he can afford to wait until a few veteran contracts come off the books and he has a chance to see what the Canadiens really have in Michael Hage. From the outside, it looks like the Habs are out to prove that slow and steady wins the race, and they’re well on their way to doing that.
The Montreal Canadiens have had a quiet start to the off-season when it comes to adding new talent. Although this is the case, it is possible that things could change on that front before the start of the season.
The Canadiens could use another skilled winger to solidify their top six. Their options in free agency are not the strongest at this stage in the off-season, so they would need to address this need through the trade market if they wish to before the season.
If the Canadiens want to add a top-six winger before the start of the campaign, they should strongly consider doing business with the Pittsburgh Penguins. This is because both Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell are intriguing trade candidates on Pittsburgh's roster.
If the Canadiens acquired Rust, he would give them a two-time Stanley Cup champion who is coming off another strong season in 2025-26. In 72 games last season with Pittsburgh, the 34-year-old winger posted 29 goals, 36 assists, and 65 points. This was after he had 31 goals and 65 points in 71 games for Pittsburgh in 2024-25. With numbers like these, he would be a strong pickup for Montreal's top six.
Rakell, on the other hand, posted 24 goals and 48 points but in 60 games last season. This was after he posted 35 goals and 70 points in 81 games for the Penguins during the 2024-25 season. He would also be a nice addition to Montreal's top six if acquired. This is especially so when noting that he can play both wings.
Both Rust and Rakell would be more than one-year rentals for Montreal if acquired. Rust has a $5.125 million cap hit through the 2027-28 season, while Rakell has a $5 million cap hit through 2027-28. These are bargain cap hits for what each player provides, so they could be worth targeting for Montreal.
The Buffalo Sabres could go a number of different ways as the NHL is in the midst of trade season following the NHL Draft and the opening of free agency on July 1. With the departure of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram, GM Jarmo Kekalainen is expected to seek out offensive reinforcements to make up for the 44 goals lost by their departures.
Over the next few weeks, we will continue to look at potential options for the Sabres, now that veteran Patrick Kane has returned with Chicago. Some of the possibilities are not going to match Tuch’s stats, but any additions could provide some relief to the pressure that youngsters Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, or Noah Ostlund will be under to make up the deficit.
Kekalainen ideally would like to make up as much of the 60-to-70 point production that he lost with Tuch, but also possibly someone who can fill the leadership gap or add some snarl and sandpaper to the middle-six.
Someone who has yet to be signed, but is one of the youngest free agents still available is winger Eeli Tolvanen. The 27-year-old was a first round pick of the Nashville in 2017. After spending a year in Finland, the young Finn finished the 2017-18 season with the Preds and played most of the next two seasons in AHL Milwaukee.
Patrick Kane returns to Chicago instead of joining the Sabres.
After briefly returning to Finland during the COVID pause, Tolvanen returned to Tennesse and scored 22 points in 40 games, but only scored 23 points in 75 games in 2022. After playing 13 games in 2022-23, the Preds tried to sneak the winger back down to the AHL on waivers, but he was claimed by the Seattle Kraken.
Tolvanen’s totals increased with more responsibility and ice time. He scored 16 goals in 48 games to finish off the 2022-23 season, increased to 41 points in 2023-24, snd scored a career-high 23 goals in 2024-25, before taking a downturn last season to 36 points (12 goals, 24 assists) in 78 games.
The 5’10”, 182 lb. winger projects more as a middle-six forward with skill, which the Sabres could use if their plan is to promote from within and elevate someone like Zach Benson, Jack Quinn, or Kulich into the top six. Tolvanen is not strong defensively (he was -18 last season with Seattle), but could fill a role on a second power play unit and would likely score in the teens, based on his average goal scoring six of the last seven seasons.
Less than a year after being hired, former Vancouver Canucks pro scout and 19-year NHL veteran Jack Johnson has departed from the organization. Johnson was hired by the Canucks back at the start of January, with this being his first official post-playing career NHL role.
Johnson’s 1228-NHL game career resulted in a grand total of 77 goals, 265 assists, and one Stanley Cup as a member of the Avalanche in 2021–22. In his most recent season, 2024–25 as a member of the Blue Jackets, the defenceman put together six assists in 41 games.
Now departing from the NHL, Johnson will continue his post-playing career as the associate coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes’ women’s team in the NCAA. Ohio State most recently won NCAA championships in 2022 and 2024.
Apr 6, 2025; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman jack Johnson (3) skates with the puck in the first period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
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As the Detroit Red Wings prepare for the 2026-27 season, one of the biggest questions surrounding the organization is what the next phase of the rebuild will look like and which young prospects are ready to establish themselves as full-time NHLers.
Last season marked a significant milestone for Detroit's youth movement with Emmitt Finnie, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård all earning spots on the Red Wings' opening-night roster, offering fans a glimpse of the organization's promising future.
Finnie emerged as the lone rookie to secure a long-term role in Detroit, while Brandsegg-Nygård returned to the minors after a brief NHL stint. Sandin-Pellikka remained with the Red Wings for 68 games before also heading back to continue his development, gaining valuable NHL experience along the way.
The biggest in-season arrival, however, came when the Red Wings finally called up 2023 ninth-overall draft pick Nate Danielson.
With Detroit continuing its search for an impact center, expectations were high when the 21-year-old from Red Deer, Alberta, made his NHL debut. While flashes of his potential were evident, Danielson's first taste of NHL action proved to be more of a learning experience than an immediate breakout.
Danielson recorded two goals and five assists for seven points in 28 games before an injury prematurely ended his season. Although the offensive production fell short of what many fans had hoped for, the young center gained valuable experience adjusting to the speed and physicality of the NHL.
Heading into training camp, Danielson appears poised for another opportunity as Elite Prospects currently projects him to make Detroit's opening-night roster, and a strong offseason could significantly improve his chances of securing a permanent role.
If Danielson can build on the lessons learned during his first NHL stint and arrive at camp stronger and more confident, he could become an important piece of Detroit's lineup when the Red Wings open the season against the New York Rangers.
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The St. Louis Blues have hired Sergei Zubov as an advisor to hockey operations, the team announced on Friday.
The former NHL defenseman, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019, was previously with the organization as a consultant in 2012-13.
"We are excited to bring in Sergei with the incredible resume he built over his Hall of Fame career as a player," Blues general manager Alex Steen said in a release. "As a coach, he brings a unique skillset and experience that will be a valuable asset throughout our hockey operations group."
The 56-year-old has held a variety of positions in coaching and hockey management since finishing his playing career in 2010.
Zubov served as an assistant coach for multiple KHL teams from 2011-15 before being promoted to head coach of SKA Saint Petersburg in 2015-16.
Zubov also held head coach roles with HK Sochi (2017-19, 2024-25) and Dinamo Riga (2021) of the KHL and the Russian U-20 team in 2021-22.
Zubov was named senior consultant to hockey operations for the Dallas Stars in 2019; he played in 1,068 regular-season NHL games with the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Stars over a 16-year career, winning two Stanley Cups (Rangers, 1994 and Stars, 1999).
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Another classic in the summer months is for writers who specialize in prospects to do redraft exercises. This week, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler did the exercise for the 2023 NHL draft. That year, the Montreal Canadiens had picked fifth overall and elected to select David Reinbacher, leaving talented Russian winger Matvei Michkov on the board.
The pick wasn’t well received by fans and sparked a social media storm, with an incredible number of disappointing comments from largely uninformed people. It certainly wasn’t the best way for Reinbacher to be introduced to the Canadiens’ intense fan base, but he was a victim of his position. Fans were foaming at the mouth at the thought of landing a Russian offensive dynamo and were upset at the acquisition of a blueliner that wasn’t exactly known for his offensive and electrifying style.
Three years on, Wheeler is off the view that the Habs should have used the fifth overall pick on Michkov, meaning he would have been selected two ranks before where he was actually picked up, seventh overall by the Philadelphia Flyers. Initially, before the draft, Wheeler had him going second overall, and he conceded that he was charmed by the mix of hockey IQ and skills. Michkov is already an established NHLer, but he hasn’t been a perfect acquisition for the Flyers either.
After finishing his rookie season with 63 points in 80 games and receiving the 4th-highest total of voting points in the Calder Trophy race, his sophomore season didn’t live up to the expectations. He showed up to camp in less-than-impressive form and ended his season with 51 points in 81 games. While some believed that not having to play under John Tortorella would serve him well, it turned out that playing under Rich Tocchet was no better for him.
While Michkov was indeed an impressive prospect at the draft, the Canadiens have very good ties in Russia and had perhaps an inside track to evaluate Michkov not only as a player, but as a person and a character, which is something the organization highly values, as they keep telling us, most recently, when Ivan Demidov signed a team-friendly contract.
As for Reinbacher, Wheeler believes he should have gone 16th overall to the Calgary Flames. Before the draft, he had him 12th overall on his list and adds that, in any case, the right-shot defender belongs in the teens, not in the top-10, let alone on a top-five list.
While it’s fair to say that Reinbacher hasn’t lived up to his draft rank so far, that has been influenced by the fact that he has had to deal with numerous injuries. So far, he’s only played 78 AHL games and 2 NHL games in the last three seasons. There’s plenty left to see and assess in Reinbacher, and this season will be incredibly important to him. It feels like the organization still believes that he could eventually blossom into Lane Hutson’s ideal top-four partner. At this stage, it’s much too early to say that the pick was a bad one, not only because of the injuries, but also because it can take longer for defensemen to come into their own in professional hockey.
Interestingly, Wheeler has the St. Louis Blues drafting Jacob Fowler 10th overall, a 59-spot bounce for the netminder whom the Habs actually drafted 69th overall in the third round. That year, the Canadiens didn’t have a second-round pick since they had traded it to the Colorado Avalanche to acquire Alex Newhook.
One of the biggest question marks of the offseason for the Detroit Red Wings was whether or not future Hall of Fame winger Patrick Kane would return to Hockeytown, and on Thursday, the answer finally arrived.
The 37-year-old Buffalo native is heading back to where his hockey journey began, agreeing to a two-year, $16 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, the franchise that made him the first overall pick in 2007 and turned him into a franchise icon over 16 seasons and three Stanley Cup championships.
It was a fun three seasons with Kane in the Motor City, and Chicago appears to be about the only other team Red Wings fans can't be upset to see him leave for. Kane produced 57 goals and 103 points in 189 games as a Red Wing, and along the way he authored some moments Detroit fans won't soon forget. With his return to Chicago official, here's a look back at his best moments in the Winged Wheel.
Still Elite After Major Injuries
Kane's first season in Detroit may have been his most improbable. After undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in June 2023, he didn't make his Red Wings debut until December, but he still finished the year with a near point-per-game average at 47 points in just 50 games, showing he could still perform at an elite level despite the layoff and recovery.
That stretch run helped keep Detroit in playoff contention into the final weeks of the season and set the stage for three more productive years in the Winged Wheel, ones that Red Wings fans will remember fondly even as Kane heads home to Chicago.
Showtime Returns
Kane's first game back at the United Center as a visiting player, on February 25th, 2024, turned into one of the most emotional nights of his career. A sellout crowd of gave him a lengthy standing ovation during a video tribute in the first period, and things only built from there.
With the Red Wings and Blackhawks tied 2-2, Kane found himself alone at center ice in overtime, skated in on a breakaway, and beat goaltender Petr Mrazek glove side to win it.
Kane called it a night full of emotions, saying he simply wanted to show Chicago fans he'd always have his heart there. It marked the first time in nearly two decades that Kane had faced the Blackhawks, and he became just the sixth player in NHL history to score an overtime winner in his first game against a former team he'd played at least 1,000 games for.
Two days after tying the mark with an assist against the Los Angeles Kings, Kane recorded another helper against the Washington Capitals on this past January, reaching 1,375 career points and officially becoming the highest-scoring American-born player in NHL history, passing Hall of Famer Mike Modano.
The moment came on a secondary assist on a Ben Chiarot goal, and it set off a celebration as Detroit's bench emptied to mob Kane at center ice. Modano, who had held the record since passing Phil Housley in 2007 and who finished his own career with the Red Wings in 2010-11, sent Kane a prerecorded video message of congratulations that played on the videoboard at Little Caesars Arena.
500th Career Goal
Three weeks earlier, Kane reached another milestone against the Vancouver Canucks, scoring twice in a 5-1 Red Wings win, including an empty-net goal that made him the 50th player in NHL history to score 500 career goals.
He became just the fifth American-born player to reach the mark, joining Modano, Keith Tkachuk, Jeremy Roenick and Joe Mullen. Kane said afterward he was relieved to get the milestone out of the way, and Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin gave a speech in the locker room honoring the achievement as teammates wore commemorative T-shirts.
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