The Chicago Blackhawks must have been pleased to learn that one of the most iconic players to ever put on their uniform has been named the 6th best player in EA’s NHL 20.
Patrick Kane will turn 31 in November but has done very little to convince anyone that he still isn’t deserving of the plaudits he still attracts.
NHL 20 is due for a September 13 release but a number of Xbox owners who pre-ordered it managed to get early access through a glitch. This week, EA revealed Kane as the 6th highest rated player in the game as they continued their Top 50 reveal. The New York native has a 91 overall rating, which is quite impressive for someone over 30 but not so much when you realize Cristiano Ronaldo are both past the big three-oh and are both likely to be at the top of the ratings charts when the announcements over FIFA 20 are made.
Kane isn’t the only Chicago player who’s made it to the Top 50. EA unveiled Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews at No.42 with an 88 overall rating last week. The duo has been important for the Blackhawks for a long time and they’re recognized as two of the league’s best attackers. They will both be relied upon heavily as the Blackhawks are keen on making the playoffs after missing on postseason action for the last two seasons.
Of course, the team is hardly favored for Stanley Cup glory next term and Bet365 is offering 35/1 odds on their chances. If you want an in-depth look into hockey bets, you could always check the NHL odds at OnlineSportBetting.CA
Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning are the favorites at 13/2 with Ladbrokes while William Hill has the Boston Bruins at 11/1. You could get 10/1 odds on the Vegas Golden Knights with Marathon Bet and, while Bet365 has 9/1 odds on the Toronto Maple Leafs, Unibet has them at 13/1.
Betfair has odds of 20/1 on offer as it relates to Chicago’s chances of winning the Western Conference and it will be quite difficult for them to make it out with the 13/2 St. Louis Blues or the 19/4 Colorado Avalanche.
Kane and Toews have won three Cups together in Chicago but chances are pretty slim now.
Meanwhile, the former is set to have his jersey retired by his old OHL team, the London Knights. The side will host a pregame ceremony at Budweiser Gardens on January 17 where they will pay Kane the ultimate honor of retiring his No.88 jersey.
The winger will be just the ninth player in London franchise history to be granted such but will be the first to achieve it after registering a single season. He scored 62 goals and 145 points in 58 regular-season games for the Knights, adding a further 31 points in 16 playoff games during 2006/07.
He won the Emms Family Award as OHL rookie of the year and placed second in the MVP voting behind John Tavares.
Kane is expected to be present for the ceremony as his team won’t be in action on the 17th.
