Patrick Kane passes Mike Modano for the most NHL points by a US-born player

Patrick Kane is now the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history.

Kane passed Mike Modano Thursday night by recording his 1,375th point on an assist in the Detroit Red Wings’ game against the Washington Capitals. He got there a couple of months after turning 37, while Modano was 40 when he scored a goal to register point No. 1,374.

“When you think of USA Hockey, he’s one of the first players that comes to mind, if not the first player,” fellow American Jack Eichel said. “Such a great representation of USA Hockey and us Americans — something for a lot of the guys that came after him to strive to be, myself included.”

Kane has been one of the faces of American hockey since getting taken with the first pick in the 2007 draft by Chicago. He helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup three times from 2010-15 as a co-headliner of one of the most successful runs since the league’s salary cap era began in ’05.

U.S.-born defenseman Charlie McAvoy recalled watching Kane on those long runs “do stuff that at the time people didn’t do.”

“His type of player just transcends now, when back then there wasn’t anybody that was really doing that,” U.S.-born defenseman Charlie McAvoy said. “He changed the game of hockey. He’s an absolute legend. And it’s great that he’s an American.”

Earlier this month, Kane became the 50th player and fifth...