Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, now the NHL’s U.S.-born career points leader, has an argument for being the greatest American hockey player of all time.
One player who disagrees? Kane himself.
Kane appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN on Friday, Jan. 30, one day after becoming the all-time career points leader for U.S.-born players in a 4-3 home loss to the Washington Capitals. Kane passed NHL legend (and ex-Wing) Mike Modano with a secondary assist on a second-period Ben Chiarot goal, giving him his 1,375th career point.
But Kane didn’t pick the metro Detroit native Modano as the greatest American NHL’er, instead pointing to a player who spent 19 seasons in Chicago and Detroit.
“Chris Chelios, I think he’s probably the greatest American of all time when you add it all up,” he said.
Chelios played in the NHL for 26 seasons – including 10 with the Red Wings – and is arguably best known for his time with the Chicago Blackhawks, a feature he shares with Kane. Chelios won two of his three Norris trophies (as the NHL’s top defenseman) in his nine seasons in the Windy City, from 1990-99. (The Wisconsin alumnus began his career with the Montreal Canadiens, winning a Norris with the Habs in the 1988-89 season.)
The Red Wings traded for a 37-year-old Chelios in March 1999, and he went on to play a part in two Stanley Cup-winning teams (2001-02, 2007-08). Despite being a defenseman, the Chicago native is 12th all time among U.S.-born players in career points (948).
Kane naming Chelios as the greatest U.S.-born player comes one day after Chelios said the same thing about Kane, telling the Free Press that Kane “is without a doubt, the greatest American-born player, and not just because he has the most points. He has both team and individual awards over his career which separates him from every other American player.”
“I watched Mike Modano a lot when I was younger and I always admired the way he played..
I really looked up to him, Chris Chelios, Jeremy Roenick, and Pat LaFontaine” ~ @88PKane#PMSLivepic.twitter.com/ehi13rX5eY
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 30, 2026
It shouldn’t be a surprise to hockey fans that both players have such respect for each other, as Kane explained to McAfee’s co-host, A.J. Hawk.
“He’s really become a great friend, I got to know him from my Chicago days,” he said. “Honestly, he’s one of the best humans in the world, and anytime I do something he’s the first to reach out.”
And much like Chelios, Kane has found new paths to success late in his career with the Red Wings.
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Patrick Kane calls Chris Chelios the greatest U.S.-born hockey player ever
