Patrick Kane is EA Sports Top Guy

Patrick Kane was having trouble containing his boyish excitement over the fact that his childhood dream was actually coming true. This 20 year- old superstar who is a former 2007 first overall pick of the Chicago Blackhawks grew up playing EA Sports hockey games and dreamed of one day gracing the cover. Kane who scored 70 points this past season and is a key reason for the Blackhawks recent revival had that dream come true earlier this month when he was officially named as the second American ever (Joining John Vanbiesbrouck) to grace the cover for EA Sports’ NHL 10 coming out in September. “For Patrick, growing up and playing this game his whole life and then to be on the cover, he is so excited about this, it’s not funny,” Kane’s father Pat said. “And the greatest thing about it is that he’s a kid and the kid’s coming out of him on something like this.” This 2008 Calder Trophy winner who is only five foot 10 and 170 pounds also experienced his first taste of NHL playoff hockey this spring as he scored 14 points in 16 games.  “That’s all he did when he was younger in the summer, is go down (to the basement) and play a few games,” Donna (Patrick’s mom) said about how her son would always play EA hockey games. “This is great for him, because it’s something he cherished growing up and he still enjoys doing.” Kane who has been playing these EA hockey games since the age of 10 has enjoyed quite a few accomplishments such as throwing out the first pitch at a Chicago Cubs baseball game last year and singing “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” with former Blackhawks coach Denis Savard. Still that doesn’t compare with this latest honor. “Obviously it’s only going to last a year but it’s something no one can ever take away from you,” Kane said of his cover duties. “Once you’re on the cover, they can’t take you off. So it’s a pretty cool feeling right now. I’m going to enjoy it and enjoy playing the game too. It’s pretty special for me to be on the cover. I remember looking back at guys like Iginla (“NHL 2003”) Forsberg (“NHL 98”), Pronger (“NHL 2000”), guys like that that you really looked up to and saw them on the cover.”