Who is the greatest Blackhawks player of all time, Mikita or Kane?

The Chicago Blackhawks are one of the NHL's original six hockey teams. Many players have come through this organization throughout the years, through many roster changes and Stanley Cups. Some of those players lasted a season or two, some much longer. Two players come to mind when thinking of the greatest individual player to ever play for the Blackhawks: Patrick Kane and Stan Mikita. While some may say this is not even close, stats say it is closer than we may think.

Stan Mikita was the original legend

The name Stan Mikita brings back memories for those who watched him live and those who were too young but did research and learned about his career. He was a star from game one. His presence on the ice was strictly offensive, and it wasn't due to his small stature. He could outsmart the biggest player by pulling off the smallest move to make the simplest play look easy. While he was small in size, his playmaking and skill made up for it. He made himself known in the Windy City before the end of his first NHL season.

Mikita was Mr. Everything for Chicago. He did everything asked of him and more, whatever it took to get the team a win. In the end, he finished with 1, 396 games (first all-time in Blackhawks history), 541 goals (2), 926 assists (1), 1,467 points (1), a plus +329 (1), 150 power-play goals (3), 84 game-winning goals, and one overtime goal.

Mikita would play in nine All-Star Games, win four Art Ross Trophies, the 1966-67 Hart Memorial Trophy and Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, and also win the Hart and Lady Byng again in the 1967-68 season. He won one Stanley Cup in 1961. He would retire in 1980 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983.

Kane proved it's Showtime in Chicago

Patrick Kane was drafted by Chicago with the first overall pick in 2007, and he proved that pick was not a fluke early. He carried himself with a confidence that cannot be taught, but he backed it up with the sickest moves. After 16 years in Chicago, playing his heart out and giving his all to the city, he moved on to play for the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings. Playing in a different sweater did not matter as he continued to produce as he got older, proving he aged like fine wine. Before leaving the Blackhawks, he earned numerous achievements and awards, not to mention putting up incredible, yet consistent, numbers offensively.

Kane would play 1,161 games in a Blackhawks sweater, ranking third all-time in the franchise's history. He also posted 446 goals (3rd in the team's history), 779 assists (2nd), 1,225 points (2nd), 122 power-play goals (4th), 67 game-winning goals (4th), nine overtime goals (3rd), and was a plus-20. Not to mention, he won three Stanley Cups, the 2007-08 Calder Trophy, he was named to the 2007-08 NHL All-Rookie Team, appeared in nine All-Star games, he was the 2012-13 Conn Smythe Trophy winner, the 2015-16 Art Ross Trophy winner and the 2015-16 Hart Memorial Trophy winner, and the Ted Lindsay Award winner. He returns to Chicago this season after signing a new deal.

Both are incredible athletes and carried their generation of Blackhawks teammates. Both had obstacles to overcome, and both achieved success beyond imagination. Both will be remembered for their time in Chicago. They are two of the greatest players to ever wear the Blackhawks sweater. Their accomplishments are listed above. What they meant to the city is well known. The question is - who do you believe is the greatest Blackhawks player to ever play in Chicago, Kane or Mikita? For me, it's Mikita.

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