Kane's actions are being investigated (for over a month now) by the BUF DA's office, a rape kit was employed, and potentially major, life changing charges are hanging over his head. He cannot play hockey in the NHL under those conditions. Even if the Hawks didn't think so, the league office would. Kane won't be part of the team until this matter resolves itself...and you might need to prepare yourself for a long wait because this kind of investigation has a history of taking its time, and if it goes to trial, it will be a long, drawn out experience. What are the Hawks supposed to do until then? If they don't suspend Kane, they can't use his Cap space! And who wants to suspend someone when they haven't been officially charged with anything???
- MexicoHawk

Exactly. The only thing the Blackhawks can do now is wait for more information or until it's time to start camp, whichever comes first. When camp starts, they'll be forced to act.

At some point, not exactly sure when, the Selke evolved from an award for best defensive forward, to best defensive center who scores around 20 goals.
- Ogilthorpe2

Fixed it.

Rick Meagher won it in 89/90. I bet every other winner has had around 20 or more goals since then.

A good read:

Reputation Management Begins at Home

http://www.cullotonstrate...anagement-begins-at-home/

I thought he already was.
- Sandus

Apparently not, I was kind of surprised too.

I'd say Keith is the most important player to the Hawks. I can't see them winning this cup without Keith.

I don't like Keith at all based on some of his behavioural issues. But he's the team's best player. if you take JT out of the mix, the Hawks can still win. If you take Keith out of the mix, then there's no chance they get by...
- kaptaan

Like skating 90 feet to elbow drop someone that irked him?

I was at the game he nailed one of the twins. Crazy. But not the first time he has done something like that.

- Ogilthorpe2

Clever use of (or lack of use of) context. If I were you, I'd be going hard after EA Sports and the London Knights (for starters). Don't mean to be snide, but you're kinda casting stones because a "selection" of facts allows you to.

The Hawks have to (and will) take into consideration the fact that this is the 4th "incident" Kane's been involved in since 2009, 3 of which allegedly involved violence, all four of which definitely involved alcohol. After the last (publicized) incident in 2012, kane allegedly swore he'd clean up his act.

As I've said before it's real easy for posters here to play fast and loose with the Hawks' money, but to them it is real money, they have a successful hockey team to run. This stuff can't keep happening, and the FULL CONTEXT suggests it will unless something significant changes.
- John Jaeckel

I'm sure Roger Goodell believed the "full context" warranted his Deflategate sanctions (many incidents where the Patriots pushed the boundaries of competitive integrity: spying, stealing signs, tampering with visitor headsets late in game, misuse of injury reserve, etc). The court obviously disagreed. Its message today: beware sports executives who play fast and loose with players' livelihoods and reputations to protect their precious brands (or more to the point w Kane... to gain cap space). Don't expect "context" to bail you out, if you can't first prove the specific violation. This is a battle for Kane's life. Hasn't he earned the right to fight for it without the Hawks making it harder? And if they're really worried about him screwing up again, isn't training camp the safest place for him?

I'm sure Roger Goodell believed the "full context" warranted his Deflategate sanctions (many incidents where the Patriots pushed the boundaries of competitive integrity: spying, stealing signs, tampering with visitor headsets late in game, misuse of injury reserve, etc). The court obviously disagreed. Its message today: beware sports executives who play fast and loose with players' livelihoods and reputations to protect their precious brands (or more to the point w Kane... to gain cap space). Don't expect "context" to bail you out, if you can't first prove the specific violation. This is a battle for Kane's life. Hasn't he earned the right to fight for it without the Hawks making it harder? And if they're really worried about him screwing up again, isn't training camp the safest place for him?
- meta_puck_luck

Hawks making it harder???

I don't get this, please explain.

I'm sure Roger Goodell believed the "full context" warranted his Deflategate sanctions (many incidents where the Patriots pushed the boundaries of competitive integrity: spying, stealing signs, tampering with visitor headsets late in game, misuse of injury reserve, etc). The court obviously disagreed. Its message today: beware sports executives who play fast and loose with players' livelihoods and reputations to protect their precious brands (or more to the point w Kane... to gain cap space). Don't expect "context" to bail you out, if you can't first prove the specific violation. This is a battle for Kane's life. Hasn't he earned the right to fight for it without the Hawks making it harder? And if they're really worried about him screwing up again, isn't training camp the safest place for him?
- meta_puck_luck

Yes, he has earned that right. The other 22 players have earned the right to get ready for the season without a huge distraction and a media circus, as has the team.

Kane is a young man with MANY, MANY advantages, in spite of his present turmoil. it is unlikely he will spend any significant time in any kind of "hard time" incarceration even if he is guilty of the worst things rumored in this case.

What is best for him right now is some serious reflection and taking responsibility for WHY it is always HIM who ends up in these situations every third summer (at least the times that have been publicized) and considering making some serious changes in his lifestyle.

Don't ya think?

Back to hockey:

Who is the Blackhawks' most important player

http://espn.go.com/blog/n...wks-most-important-player




Got into a debate with a friend that's a casual Blackhawks fan, more into baseball, when Kane was injured last year. He thought the Hawks were through. I told him no, no, now if it was Keith that was out they'd more likely be done.

Of course he thought I was nuts. Tried to explain to him there's no way you replace Keith, the minutes he plays, the quality of his defensive play etc.... Couldn't convince him.

After the Hawks won the cup and Keith was the MVP, I ribbed him a bit and he finally acknowledged I was right!
- walleyeb1

I understand how people can view Keith as the Hawks most important player, his minutes are very valuable and to that extent he is indeed indispensable. But I believe that most hockey players would see what I do about Toews. He dominates the tone of the game and his team with his no-nonsense, consistent style of play. Toews does EVERYTHING right up the middle of the ice, including dominating at the dot which is a huge help to all the Hawk defencemen. If you watch, you can see how Kruger has patterned his game almost directly after Toews.

Hockey is a game played with 4 lines, 3 D pairings and a goalie, so its always difficult to single out one player, but if I were playing GM for a franchise team, my first selection in any expansion draft, if possible, would be Toews over EVERYBODY else in the NHL. IMO, Toews is a sure fire HOF player and will go down in history likely as one of the game's fifty best!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

For those who listen...

I will be on NHL Radio-SiriusXM today with Boomer @ 4:25 CST & tomorrow
@ 8:45 AM CST with Nick Alberga. I wonder what the main topic will be?
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@Alcimaglia

For those who listen...

I will be on NHL Radio-SiriusXM today with Boomer @ 4:25 CST & tomorrow
@ 8:45 AM CST with Nick Alberga. I wonder what the main topic will be?
0 retweets 0 favorites

@Alcimaglia
- Al

Finally - we'll get the definitive answers on Kane, as well as Bickell / Versteeg and Kruger.

Only 2 more hours....

I'm sure Roger Goodell believed the "full context" warranted his Deflategate sanctions (many incidents where the Patriots pushed the boundaries of competitive integrity: spying, stealing signs, tampering with visitor headsets late in game, misuse of injury reserve, etc). The court obviously disagreed. Its message today: beware sports executives who play fast and loose with players' livelihoods and reputations to protect their precious brands (or more to the point w Kane... to gain cap space). Don't expect "context" to bail you out, if you can't first prove the specific violation. This is a battle for Kane's life. Hasn't he earned the right to fight for it without the Hawks making it harder? And if they're really worried about him screwing up again, isn't training camp the safest place for him?
- meta_puck_luck

I'm not following the logic. You're saying that because the courts overruled the NFL's suspension of Brady for his alleged role in the deflation of footballs, that the NHL and the Chicago Blackhawks should be cautions about suspending Patrick Kane for being under investigation for rape? Aren't these two events considerably different in their seriousness?

I'm also wondering about your use of the word "livelihood," which is defined as, "a means of securing the necessities of life." I'm pretty sure Patrick Kane is covered in that regard for the rest of his life.

As for a "specific violation," I would guess that's covered in the conduct code of the collective bargaining agreement and/or the player's contract. Suspensions happen all of the time without there being a criminal act and the burden of proof is far less than the beyond a reasonable doubt.

For those who listen...

I will be on NHL Radio-SiriusXM today with Boomer @ 4:25 CST & tomorrow
@ 8:45 AM CST with Nick Alberga. I wonder what the main topic will be?
0 retweets 0 favorites

@Alcimaglia
- Al

Cool! Thanks! I just followed you on twitter

I'm not following the logic. You're saying that because the courts overruled the NFL's suspension of Brady for his alleged role in the deflation of footballs, that the NHL and the Chicago Blackhawks should be cautions about suspending Patrick Kane for being under investigation for rape? Aren't these two events considerably different in their seriousness?

I'm also wondering about your use of the word "livelihood," which is defined as, "a means of securing the necessities of life." I'm pretty sure Patrick Kane is covered in that regard for the rest of his life.

As for a "specific violation," I would guess that's covered in the conduct code of the collective bargaining agreement and/or the player's contract. Suspensions happen all of the time without there being a criminal act and the burden of proof is far less than the beyond a reasonable doubt.
- matt_ahrens

What did he do?

Hawks making it harder???

I don't get this, please explain.
- carcus

If he gets suspended with the criminal process ongoing, he has to make a difficult decision - do I grieve the suspension, which likely would require him to testify. Such testimony could waive his 5th amendment rights and be used against him. Any decision confirming he committed suspendible acts could be used against him. Any finding of fact or admission of excessive intoxication could undercut his credibility for testimony he might later present re what happened that night. Also, if anyone's income is cut off it becomes harder to litigate aggressively for any length of time. Forbidding him from Hawk activities, the healthy outlet of playing hockey with your friends, might depress his spirit to fight the legal process.

Like skating 90 feet to elbow drop someone that irked him?

I was at the game he nailed one of the twins. Crazy. But not the first time he has done something like that.
- fattybeef

By irked you mean the elbow he had just been given behind the net, right? Keith didn't start it, but he did end it. And it didn't take him long.

What did he do?
- Ogilthorpe2

Right. I don't know. I'm assuming the NHL and the Chicago Blackhawks can legally suspend him based on their contracts and what they know about what he did, what's he's accused of doing, and the impact this situation is having on the team and the league.

If he gets suspended with the criminal process ongoing, he has to make a difficult decision - do I grieve the suspension, which likely would require him to testify. Such testimony could waive his 5th amendment rights and be used against him. Any decision confirming he committed suspendible acts could be used against him. Any finding of fact or admission of excessive intoxication could undercut his credibility for testimony he might later present re what happened that night. Also, if anyone's income is cut off it becomes harder to litigate aggressively for any length of time. Forbidding him from Hawk activities, the healthy outlet of playing hockey with your friends, might depress his spirit to fight the legal process.
- meta_puck_luck

You're saying that it is unfair to suspend him because it if a court finds that it was fair to suspend him that could be used against him? If it was fair to suspend him, then he should have been suspended, right?

By the way, more actual hockey news:


http://blackhawks.nhl.com...b001cd4e4377b002670bf6c94

If he gets suspended with the criminal process ongoing, he has to make a difficult decision - do I grieve the suspension, which likely would require him to testify. Such testimony could waive his 5th amendment rights and be used against him. Any decision confirming he committed suspendible acts could be used against him. Any finding of fact or admission of excessive intoxication could undercut his credibility for testimony he might later present re what happened that night. Also, if anyone's income is cut off it becomes harder to litigate aggressively for any length of time. Forbidding him from Hawk activities, the healthy outlet of playing hockey with your friends, might depress his spirit to fight the legal process.
- meta_puck_luck

Much of this is actually inaccurate. A suspension by the League would have no impact on any potential criminal case. The League has the right to suspend when there is a criminal investigation underway where not doing so undermines the interests of the league, i.e. where it might make them look bad if he turns out to be guilty. This is what they did with Voynov and it didn't affect his case in any way.

I'm not even sure what rights of appeal he has n this kind of suspension. If not playing hockey would depress him too much to fight the legal issues he has bigger issues than anyone thought.

Right. I don't know. I'm assuming the NHL and the Chicago Blackhawks can legally suspend him based on what they know about what he did, what's he's accused of doing, and the impact this situation is having on the team and the league.
- matt_ahrens

Here's another good read:

http://mweb.cbssports.com...trick-kane-saga-continues

Ryan Wilson shared a tweet of an interesting question -

Given the chance to add any player to your favorite team's roster for the 15/16 season for free (no trade cost), who would it be and why? (How about assuming no cap hit which could likely change the answer?)

By the way, more actual hockey news:


http://blackhawks.nhl.com...b001cd4e4377b002670bf6c94
- matt_ahrens

Lots of size on that team. Should be an interesting tournament.

Ryan Wilson shared a tweet of an interesting question -

Given the chance to add any player to your favorite team's roster for the 15/16 season for free (no trade cost), who would it be and why? (How about assuming no cap hit which could likely change the answer?)
- stljam

Jamie Benn. I can only imagine the things he'd do on the Hawks. Doughty a close second.

Have to believe a lot of people would take Toews, Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, and Stamkos.