Kane's star keeps rising

CALGARY, Alberta - You know you've arrived as a star in the NHL when you go to Canada and the Canadian media can't get enough of you.

Consider Blackhawks second-year winger Patrick Kane officially a star.

Both Calgary newspapers featured prominent stories on Kane Friday, as did the Globe and Mail, Canada's version of USA Today.

"Look at him over there," Patrick Sharp said Friday of his 20-year-old teammate who was surrounded by reporters for the second day in a row. "He looks like one of the fans who is coming down for autographs."

Kane might look 15, but his star reached new heights this week when he overtook players such as Marian Hossa, Henrik Zetterberg and Jarome Iginla for the lead in all-star fan voting among Western Conference forwards.

"I'm not sure I deserve to be there with such great players, but at the same time it's nice to be recognized," Kane said. "I've been phoning my mom and telling her and my sisters to stop voting for me."

The attention Kane is getting from media and fans is reminiscent of how Jeremy Roenick exploded into stardom as a youngster with the Hawks.

No welcome Mats: The Western Conference playoff chase got even tougher Thursday when free agent center Mats Sundin signed with the Vancouver Canucks.

Sundin, who will earn more than $5 million for the rest of the season, won't report to the Canucks until Dec. 27. There is no timetable as to when he might play his first game.

"He's a top player and I'm sure he's going to make them better," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said.

Sundin picked the Canucks over the New York Rangers. Quenneville wouldn't have minded seeing Sundin go east.

"I don't want to say who else I was pulling for," Quenneville said.

The Hawks, of course, were interested. General manager Dale Tallon spoke several times with Sundin, who liked the direction of the team but never was seriously interested in coming to Chicago.

Helping hands: Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Colin Fraser, Jonathan Toews, Matt Walker and Brent Sopel will be in Hinsdale on Sunday, distributing gifts to the 20 military families they are helping support.

The players are aiding 20 families who have had a parent or child deployed or killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.