Column: Why Sunday was a glimpse into the future for former Blackhawks star Patrick Kane

CHICAGO, Ill. - Chris Chelios may have today. That didn't stop Patrick Kane from stealing a moment.

Blackhawks star rookie Connor Bedard couldn't convert on a scoring chance in overtime. Kane took the puck on a breakaway.

He slowed. He made his move. He shot. He won.

Kane skated past center ice yelling his patented catchphrase "showtime!" after beating Chicago 3-2.

After doing that to others for years, now Kane put Blackhawks fans at the other end of that feeling.

That's when the words Chris Chelios boomed through the United Center hours before came back into my head.

"This guy will go down as the greatest American-born player," Chelios said. During his jersey retirement ceremony. During a moment that's usually meant to thank others. 

If anything, Sunday was a reminder of what's to come. 

Patrick Kane was present during a jersey retirement at the United Center. That sentence will be uttered again, and one day it'll be his jersey retirement.

"Just a lot of emotions right now, scoring that goal, being back here, being on a different team," Kane said. "Just tried to show the fans there at the end they’ll always have my heart here."

Early on in the game, the play stopped. A tribune video to Kane played, recounting his greatest hits and best moments in a Blackhawks uniform. The trip down memory lane tugged on the heartstrings of anyone who remembers the thrills of when Kane would do what he did best and create "showtime."

After the tribute, Kane wasn't just given a standing ovation. He was lauded so continuously, he got to take three laps around the United Center ice before play picked back up again. 

That doesn't just happen. Even Chelios noted how reviled he was when he was dealt to Detroit from Chicago.

"When I got to Detroit, they already hated me," Chelios said. "Chicago absolutely hated me for going to Detroit. In all seriousness, I just think that I can't move back to Chicago. I can't go to Detroit. Where the heck am I gonna live?"

Kane, on the otherhand, had some of the loudest cheers of the night. This is the player who willingly picked to play for Detroit, instead of being traded.

It makes sense, though.

Kane delivered three Stanley Cups to one team in the salary cap era, which makes such a feat daringly difficult.

Now, 'Hawks fans are left to remember those times as the franchise undergoes a massive rebuild.

Kane was part of that back in the 2007–2008 season when he was a rookie. Two years later, Kane was a Stanley Cup Champion. That kind of luck most likely won't be on the Blackhawks' side this time.

Kane got a first-hand glance of this Blackhawks' rebuild as Connor Bedard laid into him with a hit on the boards.

"He's lucky he had the bubble on," Kane joked, "Or I was going after him."

There's still a chance Kane could return to the Blackhawks if he's ever a free agent again. However, that's a more speculative endeavor.

"I guess you never want to say never," Kane said. "It seems like they’re kind of content going in a different direction. It is what it is. Guess we’ll see how everything plays out."

Still, Kane got the last laugh.

He reminded everyone why he is one of the best American-born players in the history of the game. On a day when Chelios, referred to as the "Godfather of American Hockey" at multiple points of the day, was given one of the game's highest honors, Kane won the game, got his own personal shutout from Chelios and issued a reminder his own Blackhawks jersey retirement is coming.

Kane has his resume: three Stanley Cups, a Calder Memorial Trophy, an Art Ross Trophy, a Conn Smythe Trophy, a Hart Memorial Trophy and nine NHL All-Star appearances.

Fold in an exhalting resume with Kane's move to Detroit, and that at least sounds similar to Chelios' career. Next would be playing until he's 48, right?

That elicited a laugh from Kane. 

But, Kane isn't thinking about his jersey going up into the rafters now. He's focused on the game ahead of him. The memories of his time as a Blackhawk, however, don't fade easy.

"It's going to be hard to not always be a Blackhawk, right?" Kane said. "Just the memories and the emotions and some of the things we created here is really special."

Special is the a good word. Kane created "Showtime" in Chicago when hockey was an afterthought.

Eventually, "Showtime" will have one final act in Chicago when it's all said and done.

That's one show that won't be at the expense of Blackhawks fans.