Patrick Kane’s Status Is Shrouded in Silence

This article says....Left unanswered is why someone — a team, a teammate or the league — did not step in earlier, and tell Kane that he is no longer a man-child, but a 26-year-old man in danger of careening into a world of hurt, for himself or for others.
How about his family? or himself? Maybe you could mention them possibility trying to help.
Do you really believe the Hawks never got this guy help or has talked with him? Best front office in sports. They would not hesitate to trade him if they could. Now they still may lose him and Brandon Saad would of had cap room to remain in town.

"There was a photo of him, his eyes in the half-closed style of a stumblebum, stumbling away from a police officer."

I found that photo and he appears to be in full control of his body while walking away from the officer. What picture were you looking at?

"Thanks to social media photos, however, any reader can obtain documentary evidence suggesting Kaner’s drinking might go beyond boys will be boys."

Did you find anything specific that crossed a line, or are we supposed to fill in the blank with our own prejudiced interpretation of the photos? I subscribe to nytimes to avoid sensationalism.

See, now if this was an NFL case, it would have been swept under the rugs within days with the ol' "it was consensual ... she wanted it" gambit in combination with a well constructed smear campaign that the women have been "like that" since puberty i.e. Roethlisberger, Winston, etc.

The backup NFL plan for an NFL player is to simply beat the woman unconscious. That always seems to make the problem go away with no fines or suspensions.

Lovely times we live in.

I do not know anything beyond what the media reports. Kane has had trouble in the past so that plays against him now. But I had to laugh when his agent was interviewed and complained that this has been dragging on for a month,he believes Kane when he says nothing happened and he wants to get on with his life! Well he hired one of the top lawyers in the country and Kane has not talked at all. I am sure the "victim" wants to get on with her life too. If Kane is 100% innocent why would he even entertain an idea of "settling out of court?" It seems to me that in return for getting far more money in ONE GAME than most people make in a year these athletes ought to walk a fine path and not get even close to a situation that can explode.

A Buffalo columnist's take on Mr. Sedita and the kind of legal shenanigans that occur there:

http://www.buffalonews.com/columns/rod-watson/write-me-in-on-the-ballot-...

Thank you for writing this. I've been trying to follow this story since it broke, and for the most part sports journalists are not touching it. One gets the impression that someone has been working furiously to keep this out of the news. I sincerely hope that one way or another justice gets done and that if indeed a rape occurred the victim is not steamrolled into silence. Bill Cosby's history should serve as a reminder of how difficult it is for victims to speak up, especially when a popular public figure with substantial financial resources is involved.

Slightly off topic but so nice to hear the news that Canadien star PK Subban has just donated $10M to the Montreal Children's Hospital. Now that's class!

I have a relative who is alcoholic. According to them there are only two places alcoholics end up: dead, or in jail.

Regrettably, Mr. Kane's behavior brings those two eventualities into context.

Someone close to Mr. Kane needs to sit him down to discuss this. In the best of all possible worlds, that someone should be him.

If Patrick Kane were a marginal player, the Blackhawks, The NHL, the officials in Buffalo, wouldn't be so secretive or protective. He's an expensive investment for the Hawks, and a financial boost for the NHL. People pay money to see him play. They buy his Jersey. So his off ice conduct will be marginalized, and quietly forgiven, while saying that he has mended his ways and is contrite.

Thank you for a well-written article of the kind we seldom read about sports "figures" in Chicago, where writers stand knee-deep in sawdust either "rais'n 'em up or tear'n 'em down." The enlightening information on DA Sedita was particularly interesting, and thank you for bringing in other views.

Training camp starts Friday. Kaner will be there. He hasn't been charged with anything but innuendo. This article is typical of the Times' attitude towards Chicago sports in general. Can't wait to play New York on the Hawks way to another Stanley Cup.

Didn't the Times recently run a series of articles on another "out-of-control" hockey player, whose bad behavior off the ice eventually resulted in this death from a drug overdose? Perhaps with that as a backdrop, Michael Powell's story can be seen in context. The Hawks, which were my favorite team as a kid, need to step in here and demand some behavioral changes. Even if the so-called "investigation" eventually clears Kane, both he and the team come off looking pretty bad here. Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Pierrre Pilote, Kenny Wharram, Tony Esposito - where have you gone?

I am a Patrick Kane fan and I appreciate the article. I read it as a synopsis of events well told not a call to judgement. Patrick Kane seems like a nice kid from a nice family who is a great hockey player AND he is making some bad choices for himself. For his sake I hope he gets the help he needs. On a selfish note I sure want to see him continue on the ice.

This situation may be a great example of how such cases should be handled by both sides. Don't try the case in the press; don't make stupid statements; let justice take its course. And I am pretty confident that even if no criminal charges are brought Kane will have some sort of punishment exacted by the Blackhawks. He has shamed them on more than one occasion and will have to be punished.

Dig a little deeper - as in numerous published reports over the years - and you'll find that the team and his teammates did try and step in numerous times. Locals will tell you they've seen him out at bars with babysitters. It's how he got away with some of his antics in Madison. Have you ever tried to control a man in his twenties swimming in cash, booze, and fame?

This whole situation is horrible for all involved. No matter what the Blackhawks do, they will be vilified. If Patrick Kane is innocent, his reputation may never recover, but look at Ben Rothlisberger and Kobe Bryant. They are doing just fine now. If he is guilty, I hope he goes to jail for a long, long time. And, the woman. I feel horrible for her. If the accusations are true, well, there aren't words to convey what she is going through right now and for the foreseeable future. If the accusations aren't true, she will have to live with what she has done. Since none of us were in the house with the two of them, I think we have no choice to let the wheels of justice turn, however slowly.

In my experience when things are as "shrouded" as they are around this case it means a lot of people are involved ( Hawks,NHL NHLPA) trying to make a deal to get him off the hook. Patrick Kane has a history of bad behavior and brushes with the law mostly around his problem drinking. Because he's a franchise calibre player he's getting special treatment, if he was anybody else he'd be on trial and headed to jail.

Hockey players are just like other athletes. When as kids, they are identified as being exceptionally skilled, all the rules change. What begins as special treatment becomes entitlement and, as the years go by, their talent and the adulation that accompanies it creates a sense that rules don't apply to them. In Kane's case, it's allowed him to become a "wild child"...and without consequence. Simple assault? No problem. Public intoxication? No problem. Rape? Oops. Hopefully, justice will be served, and if Kane is guilty, he will, for once in his life, be treated like everyone else.

First, he did not attend UW, he just partied in Madison which makes him one of many. The Blackhawks are a pretty ethical organization; do you 'fire' a player before the evidence or conviction is in? I think they would be roundly criticized should they do so. The guy is a great hockey player, but needs to grow up..and why do young women go home with him? Are they so star struck they loose all their common sense? N0t saying that this is the woman's fault, just hope that all involved use their heads in the future. And would any other team dare to pick him up?

I'm glad you published this article.No doubt an out of court settlement will probably be the solution.
My thoughts went to other sports-basketball , football - the other contact sports. Same stories but different stars.
I'd like to see the "book " thrown at some of these people. But unfortunately money and influence dictate the final outcome.
But there is more to this -rape beyond a reasonable doubt. 12 to agree on this . It may be as the defense may say - a situation where she willingly went to his place and both parties got a little out of hand.
The prosecution can't bring in his past history as you did.
I don't think this prosecution is going anywhere.
Season starts in mid October. Should have a conclusion shortly before or after that. The Kobe Bryant case may have been much worse.

Somewhere in the article is an assumption that Kane raped the woman in question. Don't we have police agencies to investigate these claims, prosecutors to present cases to grand juries and trials to determine the truth of the government's accusations? We do., even given the weakness of the prosecutor here. And the prosecutor's grandfather was the Mayor of Buffalo, and not the only political boss in the city at the time. But, you ask, what does this have to do with Kane. Nothing, except to color up the article. So why not wait for an indictment? And then a trial? (and not a conviction by an uninformed columnist) Or a civil settlement by Kane and the woman? It happens. As to Kane's drinking, that's on him. Family, friends, the team, they can try to assist him. The columnist obviously has no interest in seeing this happen, where's the story there? Considering what Kane's done in his debauched state, imagine what he could do sober.

Stop wondering. Some athletes are pampered and are allowed to get away with egregious behavior that would get the average civilian tarred and feathered.

Jameis Winston, Ray Lewis, Nick Kyrgios just to name a few.

Can't stand Kane and his hide behind teammates after spearing an opponent tactics, however, leave the criminal justice system out of his occupation. If found he did the crime, then let him do the time. As it relates to playing hockey, the only question is; can he benefit the team's performance? If so, he should play.

Whatever occurs in this particular case, Mr. Kane's trajectory will not end well without some adult in the room taking charge of this young man --- assuming this young man is ready for this type of supervision.

This is a very well done column. I'm a big Hawks fan, but too worry for Kane, and the people he interacts with, when he is drinking. But he will never grow up if he doesn't take this seriously.

There is little we know for certain. The witnesses that have gone public do not report seeing aggression from Kane, nor resistance from the victim. Two 20 something intoxicated adults go to a private residence and disappear behind closed doors...not an easy "slam dunk" case. The female emerges and alleges rape while wiping clean or social media posts (before or after alleged rape is unknown). One person from the Buffalo news seems to be the primary source of leaks from the "victims' camp. Silence from all others. We do not know all the facts except there was a postponement by the Grand Jury as there was some difficulty with the case. What that could be is anyone's guess. I think the media should stand back and wait before they try and sway public opinion. Most the media reports I have seen in local papers in Chicago are slanted, bias, shaded opinions with few facts to substantiate them. It is a Lynch Mob media frenzy in Chicago and in Buffalo. It is irresponsible and unfair. It is best to let justice take its course and those in possession of the facts to lead that effort.

I am a huge Blackhawks fan, in part due to the fact that I grew up in the same neighborhood as Patrick Kane (although I was there nearly 30 years earlier). I have a pair of kittens named Kaner and Tazer. There is a STRONG temptation for me to speculate on this case, and I do - in my own mind. I keep my thoughts on the possible scenarios to myself, and I invite others to do the same. No matter what your opinions are on the parties involved, the right thing to hope for is justice in this case. We may not get it, but it's important to let the process, imperfect as it may be, play out.

This article is drivel. What on earth is it supposed to be about? The author seems to have axes to grind but I cannot even divine what they might be other than to kick Kane before he is charged with anything. If there is nothing new to report, there is nothing to report. It is already well known that there has been an investigation and that lawyers and others cannot say much about this case because of this investigation. What does the alleged rating of the local prosecutor have to do with the serious allegations that have been made about Kane? There is lots about Kane's drinking but nothing that connects drinking to the most recent night in question. Except perhaps as one sentence reference to problems in the past, his drinking has no place in this piece. As for him being called Kaner, lots of hockey players have "er" added to the back of their name, making it into some kind of nickname or monicker. As in Wayner, for Gretzky. Please get back to us when there actually is something to inform us about.
I don't know Kane from Adam, nor do I know his alleged victim. But both of them deserved better than this.

I think this crosses the line into satire. Is that what they intended? He had to quote the "got no comment" from the secretary, drop the Prince Hal sobriquet, and then use the word stumblebum. If I wanted to read Damon Runyon, I would. I now know better than expecting to read about out-of-town hockey from the Times.

1. women go home with a wealthy, infamous young athlete, after night clubbing and think they are going to be asked to play doubles ping pong?
2.Scratches and bite marks on neck are signs of rape.?
I think the majority of men call that foreplay.
3. What was other women doing? Holding the video camera?
4. And here all along I thought it was things like bruises, vaginal abrasions and semen that were clear cut evidence of rape.
Ah well, what do I know?

He'll walk. It's all about money.

Given the combination of a sports-obsessed community and a political hack of a district attorney who will bend over backward not to make waves, it would be astonishing if the outcome is anything other than a whitewash.

Criminal allegations should be adjudicated in criminal courts, not threadbare newspaper 'stories' where the writer capriciously and smugly declares, "The woman who says she was raped has maintained her silence." I guess she turned you down for interview, Mr. Powell?

It’s simply astounding how many of the most high-profile sexual assault cases fall apart, especially those involving ne'er-do-well college and professional athletes whose boorish behavior is seemingly amusing to most ... until it ends up like this. But please, let's make sure to point out that we couldn't tap the grand jury for information, there's no video evidence of said professional athlete committing the dirty deed and that an out-of-court settlement most certainly reeks of nothing more than this woman wanting a payday. Right? It sounds to me like that's exactly what you were trying to get at in the first place. Pathetic.

Hard to believe that Michael Powell knows nearly enough about Buffalo to write was he does here about Mayor Sedita, for whom, point of fact others typically ran the Democratic machine. During Sedita's second stint as mayor, for example, Joe Crangle was pretty clearly in charge of the machine, and Peter Crotty preceded him. Then again, what is wrong with shameless ignorance in The New York Times, when it deigns to write about "upstate"?

[[Left unanswered is why someone — a team, a teammate or the league — did not step in earlier, and tell Kane that he is no longer a man-child, but a 26-year-old man in danger of careening into a world of hurt, for himself or for others.]]

Neither you nor "Kaner" can have it both ways. If it's agreed that he is a man and not a child, then he is responsible for his own behavior. He can't claim to have missed the many red flags on the course he's taken.

I don't know if "Kaner" is an alcoholic, but I believe you have a problem with alcohol when it disrupts your work or your life. And if he can't stop himself from drinking, the one person I'd expect to step in would be his agent. While he probably got his percentage of "Kaner's" hockey contract up front, I'm sure he'd like a taste of any future endorsement deals.

Listen, we're talking about CTE only after countless football and hockey players descended into dementia.

Perhaps it'll take alcohol cutting "Kaner's" career short for us to begin talking seriously about alcoholism.

I won't hold my breath, though.

"Left unanswered is why someone — a team, a teammate or the league — did not step in earlier, and tell Kane that he is no longer a man-child, but a 26-year-old man in danger of careening into a world of hurt, for himself or for others."

What a ridiculous claim. How do you know that no one did that and he just didn't listen? I'd be willing to wager that he's had several people have that exact talk with him.

Also, it's probably a good thing that no one's talking. It's not their business. They don't know what happened. If the lawyers don't want to give us any concrete updates or statements, that's their right.

What he's being accused of his horrible, but trying to use his "frat boy" drinking tendencies to help paint a better picture of him as a possible rapist is just sloppy journalism.

How about we let the investigation conclude then we can all judge? Not saying the guy is innocent but can we pump the brakes on trial by internet for a change?

What exactly is the point of this article? It smacks vaguely of yellow journalism, piling onto Kane now that he has a very serious charge hanging over his head. If the story is about the alleged rape then why the need to tell us (complete with unsubstantiated rumors from students, told to a gossip website) about his drinking days as a college student?

"Now the N.H.L.’s Buffalo-born Prince Hal finds himself the subject of a criminal investigation into a rape allegation. No one is talking much."

No one is talking, as well they shouldn't... it's no one else's business. Unless you're investigating the case, one of the parties to the case, or sitting on the grand jury then you don't have a right to information. The public's interest at this point is purely prurient. In a similar vein I don't blame the cabbie for not wanting to talk, for your benefit, about which took place over six years ago.

I am not a fan of hockey, save for the few times late in the playoffs when develop a rooting interest one way or another. I knew nothing about Kane until I saw a piece on SportsCenter about him getting distracted on the ice by Taylor Swift this past June... so this isn't about me defending him. I'm just sick of irresponsible journalists taking license with people's reputation all in the name of a "story." Michael Powell is a fine writer, but he tries entirely too hard to connect a thread going all the way back to Kane's college days and the recent rape allegations.

Someone did tell him to get his act together- the Blackhawks, after the Madison embarrassment. They basically said this is your last chance to get it together. We'll see if they deliver on that ultimatum.

When we playing New York ?? Can't wait with or without out KANER . Preferably with him though , make my day ! Have a nice evening!

Hockey players get away with assault on the ice so there's really nothing new in this story.