So Chris Johnston broke it wide open today when he revealed that Kane had shown up wearing a track suit and "after a brief workout and stretch, Byfuglien is said to have thrown those clothes into the shower to send a message to his teammate, according to sources."
The article starts by stating, "Evander Kane failed to shwo up in time for Winnipeg's game in Vancouver earlier this week following an incident with Dustin Byfuglien and other teammates, Sportsnet has learned."
It follows with the very damning, "Repeated attempts to reach him were unsuccessful until approximately an hour before puck drop, when Kane answered his cellphone and said he wouldn't be playing against the Canucks that night."
This go serious very fast and the biggest question has to be what happens now? Does he have trade value and who would take this on?
Furthermore- who leaked this? The local scribes, and the closest to the team Gary Lawless, would most likely loved to have ripped this wide open but not a peep. A small detail I find immensely curious.
Although Byfuglien was already at Jedi level of respect amongst the fan base this anchors him as the leader on and off the ice.
Where was Kane during that time when he could not be reached- allegedly he was seen to be at Brandis a rather risqué and somewhat different gentleman's club offering upscale VIP services. It is up on the 6th floor at Hornby and Dunsmuir and certainly has cell reception.
There's far more to the dynamics that affect the team going forward but owner Mark Chipman was probably upset for more than one reason yesterday when he gave his press conference to clear up down town development misinformation.
More as it happens.
Last night some clarity to the Evander Kane healthy scratch decision came via Gary Lawless as it was revealed that he showed up for a team meeting in a track suit, not the required attire.
So what's the big deal?
It's the message the coach believes that Kane and the team needs to be sent. It's not that Kane showed up in a track suit it's that he violated a rule and that is unacceptable. Paul Maurice knew the risks involved when he made this decision. He knew Kane was to be playing at home in front of family and friends. He knew he was short a forward and would have to move Dustin Byfgulien up to forward. He knew that this scratching would cause a fury of rampant speculation.
He also knew that Kane has been playing though an injury that most players would choose not to and that Kane could elect to have surgery and be shut down for the season.
So why you callin' him out like that coach?
That's a good question but the simple reason is this: no player can be above the team, beyond the rules and discipline that all must abide by. By several accounts Kane is just that away from the ice. One source close to the situation once explained that many in the Jets believe Kane is doing whatever he can to get out. It certainly wouldn't appear that way on the ice as no other player is consistently playing with the intensity that Kane is.
That's all well and good but when the only measurement that seems to matter is goals and assists Kane, in the eye of many, is failing the team and fans.
I don't believe for once second that this issue was about a track suit and attire. That's the 'tipping point' and the party line but if there is going to be a huge outcry, as there always with is anything Kane, why make it about a track suit?
PR is a funny thing, it's a not uncommon to being a magician and using slight of hand. "See this shiny object over there that I am holding? Watch it because I'm going to..." meanwhile the other hand you are not watching is doing the deed.
By all accounts to me, all off the record of course, the tracksuit was the end point of what happened with Kane. It was used as a story and rationale while the other reasons remained out of sight and dealt with privately.
That's fine but nothing in Winnipeg is private nor is anything kept quiet. The truth will leak in time but let's take stock of why this situation makes for such an outcry.
Kane is a former 30 goal scorer, one who most believed up until recently could be a 40 or even 50 goal scorer, but is so far off that pace now he is only 3rd line material. In fact that is where Kane has played most of the season.
As I asked on Twitter, why does a 3rd line LW get so much attention? Would that happen on any other team?
The answers were based around talent.
If he is so talented why is he on the third line?
The answers revolved around the coach.
Let's review.
Kane is a overly talented third line winger who is placed there by the coach but he is expected to produce like a 2nd or 1st line winger by the fans, media and maybe management, yet is then said to be overpaid by some of the same people?
Okay.
How many 3rd line wingers in the NHL score 30 goals? How many score 20?
Kane has the second least amount of minutes a 5 v 4 or PP time yet his points/60 is 3rd at 4.81 only behind Little and Ladd two first line players.
In all situations Kane is 5th in points/60 at 1.85 behind Perreault, Wheeler Little and Ladd in that order.
But here is where Kane really shines in short-handed play he has the least amount of minutes played for players with 50+ mins played and leads team in points/60 at 2.67. But wait there's more- his PDO is a whopping 117 short-handed. Not only is he good he's lucky but he is also third in Corsi while short-handed.
The details and minutiae with advanced metrics can go on and on- the point is Kane is more than a 3rd line player but is used by one in Winnipeg. The resulting problem is the expectations don't match the usage and that's not the player's fault.
This chart clearly shows how Kane exceeds his usage by Maurice.
Think of the Kane situation like this: You want maximum value for him when you do trade him but you aren't willing to play him to maximize value- why?
There may be reasons to for that but if one of them is his off-ice behaviour/decisions it's going to take more than a track suit to cover that up.