Alexis Hibler first saw Patrick Kane destroying opposing teams for the Blackhawks on television when she was around 4 years old.
Alexis, 17, said she fell in love with the way Kane played, and he quickly became her favorite player. She dreamed of one day seeing him in person.
Her mom was finally able to get her tickets to a Hawks game — Thursday’s matchup at home against the Dallas Stars— but it was too late. Kane had been traded to the New York Rangers days earlier.
“It was a really sad moment for me, because I always wanted to see him and I have so many memories of coming to Chicago and wanting to see him but never actually getting to do it,” Alexis said. “It was pretty sad news.”
That sentiment was shared by other Kane fans waiting outside the United Center before the start of the game against the Stars. But they also wished Kane well in his new adventure, and many hope he adds another Stanley Cup to his long list of accomplishments.
“Kane has meant everything to her and I,” Alexis’ mom, Deborah, said. “He’s legendary, he’s amazing, we will miss him dearly, but we wish him all the happiness.”
Since being selected by the Hawks first overall in the 2007 draft, Kane not only cemented himself as a legend on the team but of the sport itself.
“We want to bring a championship to this city,” a rookie Kane said in an interview with the Sun-Times in December 2007. ‘‘And if we stick to the game plan, we’re going to help this team win.”
And win he did. Kane won three Stanley Cups with the Hawks and accumulated a Hart Trophy, an Art Ross Trophy, a Calder Trophy and a Conn Smythe Trophy. His Hawks stat line included 1,161 games (third-most in franchise history) in which he had 446 goals (third-most) and 779 assists (second-most), adding up to 1,225 points (second-most).
To help fans express their appreciation for Kane, his number 88 was outlined in giant numerals in a United Center parking lot where fans could write messages to him in chalk. “Thank you Kaner,” Alexis Hibler wrote.
Madeline Ruehl, wearing an Alex DeBrincat jersey, stopped by the tribute to read all of the messages. She said seeing Kane in a blue Rangers jersey is going to take some getting used to.
“There’s mixed feelings with it. I’m really happy for him to be able to get another chance with a cup,” Ruehl said. “But he brought hockey back here. I just saw an interview with him, and he had a Rangers hat on and it was weird, but you know he doesn’t look too bad in blue.”
Dave Bochek, who also wrote a thank you message to Kane in chalk, said the city was going to miss him “big time.”
“He contributed a lot in a lot of different ways to the team,” Bochek continued. “His talent, his leadership, a spokesman for the city, for the game itself. He left us with a lot of great memories, and we’re thankful. He’s got an opportunity to put his name on the cup again, and I hope he does, as payback for all that he’s done for us.”
Timothy Stroud, who is from Georgia, said he became a Blackhawks fan because of Kane. Thursday would have also been the first time Stroud saw Kane play in person.
“I’m not even from Chicago, but I fell in love with Kane when I was younger, and he’s the reason I fell in love with hockey,” Stroud said. “So it was sad, but you wish him the best. And I’ll be rooting for the Rangers in the playoffs.”
Contributing: Ben Pope
