Patrick Kane: Fans’ Reaction at Training Camp ‘Gave Me Chills’

Speaking with the media for the first time since a Buffalo woman accused him of sexually assaulting her in his lakefront home, Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane insisted on Thursday that he had “done nothing wrong”.

On Friday, Kane spoke very little about the off-ice situation he faces. “You’re pretty much saying the same thing for every question”. “But he hasn’t even been charged with anything and I’m a big believer in the Blackhawks organization and if they didn’t feel strong enough about him, he wouldn’t be here”.

“Our team has been through some tough situations”, said Head Coach Joel Quenneville.

“I was surprised they brought him here today”, he said.

“To hear that reaction from the crowd, it definitely gave me chills”.

“Unless and until his name is cleared in this ongoing rape investigation, Kane shouldn’t have the privilege of playing professional hockey”, said Shauna Thomas, a UltraViolet rep. “Women are watching, and we won’t allow the NHL or the Blackhawks to sweep a survivor under the rug for the sake of their bottom lines”. This just isn’t the right time to do it with my respect, the Blackhawks’ respect for the legal process and what’s going on. “Based on our discussions with his legal representatives who are very close to this matter, we have decided to have Patrick join us for training camp here at the University of Notre Dame”.

Fans cheered Kane, 26, as he began practicing at Compton Family Ice Arena in South Bend, Ind. And he didn’t look like a guy who hasn’t skated for most of the summer. But teammate Jonathan Toews didn’t see any problems with Kane’s caliber of play. “It was an exciting moment”, Kane said.

If that indictment comes to pass and the case goes to a criminal trial, regardless of when it occurs (Kane’s legal team would likely try to delay it until the offseason), it’s hard to imagine that the image-conscious Blackhawks will allow him to remain with the team while he and his lawyers prepare his defense. He’s a great player, and if nothing really sinister happened that night then he deserves to move on with his life and continue to play hockey.