The greatest Opening Night performers in Blackhawks history

The Chicago Blackhawks are about to begin their 101st season by visiting the Vegas Golden Knights, a team that has only existed a fraction of the Original Six’s time in the NHL. As always, the team enters a new campaign under pressure to win more games and return to the playoffs. This is a spot all too familiar to this generation of fans, who were spoiled a decade ago with three Stanley Cup titles in five seasons. Moreover, it’s a big night for the organization, which welcomes back Patrick Kane, the club’s second all-time leading scorer.

The highest-scoring American-born skater of all time, Kane returns to Chicago after leaving in early 2023. He’s about to skate in his 17th Opening Night in a Blackhawks sweater and has 19 points in these contests. If he can light the lamp or set up a teammate, Kane will tie Stan Mikita's franchise record with 20 Opening Night points. Throughout their 100 seasons, only seven players have reached double digits in points in Opening Night contests; who are they?

Jonathan Toews - 10 points

The franchise's longest-serving captain, Toews played in 14 season openers from 2008 to 2022, collecting 10 points with three goals and seven assists. Moreover, he has the second-best plus/minus total in these games, at plus-10, but never scored an Opening Night game-winner.

Bob Murray - 11 points

Defenseman Bob Murray played his entire 15-year career with the Blackhawks, from 1975 to 1990, and made the season-opening lineup on 12 occasions. In those contests, he scored three goals with eight assists for 11 points. With a shorthanded goal, Murray is just one of nine Chicago players to get one in the first game of the season.

Steve Larmer - 13 points

Steve Larmer won the Calder Trophy with the Blackhawks in 1983 and was a five-time 40-goal scorer with the club. In the 11 Opening Night contests he participated in, he tallied six goals and seven assists for 13 points. With a game-winner on his resume in the first game, Larmer is one of 36 Chicago players to achieve this feat.

Denis Savard - 16 points

Hall of Famer Denis Savard had five seasons with more than 100 points, a franchise record unmatched for almost 40 years since his last appearance in the Windy City. In only 12 season-opening contests, he racked up seven goals and nine assists for 16 points, producing a 1.33 points-per-game average. His total ranks second all-time among Blackhawks skaters who appeared in at least 10 Opening Night games.

Bobby Hull - 19 points

Unsurprisingly, the "Golden Jet" is one of the most dominant season-opening performers in Chicago history, scoring 19 points, including 11 goals, in 13 games. In addition, he not only owns the team’s goal record in first games, but he was plus-15, the top mark, and produced at a 1.46 points-per-game pace, the best among skaters who appeared in more than four Opening Night contests. Finally, with two game-winners, Hull is one of four Blackhawks players to have more than one.

Patrick Kane - 19 points

Back for his second stint with the Blackhawks, Kane enters the 2026-27 season needing only one point against the Golden Knights to move past Hull and tie Mikita atop the franchise record book. In 16 games, he’s scored seven goals with 12 assists for 19 points. Right now, Kane ranks second behind Hull in even-strength goals and, with 58 shots on goal, ranks third.

Stan Mikita - 20 points

The Blackhawks’ all-time leading scorer produced at a point-per-game average in Opening Night contests for 20 years. The Hall of Famer only scored five goals in the first game of the season, but picked up 15 assists, which ranks first all-time. Because of his low goal total, Mikita never scored a game-winner on Opening Night, but he leads all Chicago shooters with 68 shots on goal.

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