Kane posted his second four-point night of the season on Tuesday night, with a goal and a trio of primary assists.
"I feel pretty good," he said, casually, after the shootout win. "I got a couple on the power play tonight, which is always nice. Trying to get the puck as much as possible and do what I can to help the team out there."
He now has seven points in his last two games, and 20 games into the year, leads the team in points (30), assists (21) and is tied for the team lead in goals (9). At his current rate, over the course of a full, 82-game slate, Kane would be on pace for some 123 points on the season -- by far a career mark. Even so, he's on pace to match his 84 points from a year ago and do it in 14 fewer games.
It's the second time in his career he's hit 30 points in the first 20 games of the season. The last time he did it, he won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player in 2016. There's a case to be made on points alone why he's the most valuable member of this Blackhawks roster, but for his head coach, he deserves it based on so much more.
"Yeah," Colliton said without hesitation then asked if Kane was worthy of the award at this point in the season. "Look at what the expectations were for our team and where everyone had us finishing, and yet we're right there. We're in the battle. Obviously he's a big part of that.
"His production is better than ever, but to me it's all about his work ethic away from the puck… That type of team-first mentality, that's what we're trying to build here… Not only is he doing it, but he's encouraging other guys to do it. I think everyone as a group sees when you do selfless things -- when you're unselfish -- it comes around. When he's driving that, it sure is powerful."