Bob Mckenzie on Evander Kane

[The Unknown Poster]

Kane issue probably deserves its own thread now:

 

 

http://www.tsn.ca/more-questions-arise-in-kane-jets-drama-1.200583

 

Much has been said and written about Evander Kane and the Winnipeg Jets. There's bound to be a lot more, too. In fact, here you go:

 

1. Pardon the pun, but some might suggest this is simply the case of a "round Peg, square hole," that this week's issue with Kane is really just the latest in a festering "bad fit" scenario that has been going on for years between Kane and the Jets. It is a poorly kept secret Kane is not beloved by some teammates and the feeling is undoubtedly mutual.

 

2. Kane has been playing with and battling through myriad injuries this season. He came back early from an MCL sprain. He has played with fractured bones in two separate injuries. He also has another season-long injury that quite likely will require off-season surgery, if not sooner.  Kane is currently seeing doctors and getting imaging to determine his playing status and/or course of action.

 

3. As Gary Lawless first reported in the Winnipeg Free Press yesterday, Kane violated the team's dress code -- wearing a track suit instead of a suit -- when he showed up to a midday team meeting in Vancouver. It is highly unlikely, though, that the dress code violation was actually the primary reason he was a coach's decision/healthy scratch against the Canucks that night.

 

4. The dress code violation, though, did apparently trigger a chain reaction of events/decisions that led to Kane's absence from the lineup.

Kane was either pranked or tormented (interpretation is wide open) by a teammate or teammates for his track suit attire. That wasn't well received by Kane, who later in the day was not on the team bus to the rink (worth noting, though, players aren't obliged to take the bus).

 

5. It is not entirely clear what happened after that -- who said exactly what; who exactly talked to whom -- but the sense seems to be Kane indicated to the Jets he was injured and would not be available to play that night. If that is indeed the case, one could only imagine the Jets thought Kane was more piqued about the track suit episode than he was injured, although the team has noted he has been playing through injury much of this season.

 

Whatever.

 

The end result was, by game time that night, Kane was listed by the Jets as a coach's decision/healthy scratch.

 

Which, of course, blew up into the story that it now is.

 

So where do Kane and the Jets go from here? It would seem to be an untenable situation, especially with the team in the middle of an intense battle to make the playoffs.

 

TSN's Darren Dreger reported earlier today the Jets are "listening hard' to trade offers on Kane. So that's most likely where this is headed.

Still, many questions remain.

 

-- Will he be dealt before the March 2 trade deadline or in the summer?

 

-- Will his injuries, and the specter of possible surgery, have an impact on the ability to trade him, now or later?

 

-- Can the Jets get fair value for Kane amid all the drama of this week?

 

Kane's critics would say, off the ice, he's petulant, immature and lacks good judgment.  His boosters would say he's proud, independent and misunderstood. Both supporters and detractors would agree he has all the physical tools -- dynamic speed, strength, power and skill

 

-- to be an impactful NHL player.

 

NHL teams interested in Kane -- there are many -- are already doing their due diligence, looking into Kane's off-ice personality/character.

Kane is in his sixth NHL season, He's 23 years old. Beyond this season, he has three more years left on his contract that pays him $6 million annually with a cap hit of $5.25 million.

 

-- if Kane is deemed healthy enough to play, do the Jets put him back into the lineup tomorrow night vs. Chicago?

 

-- In spite of what the doctor(s) may say, does Kane feel he's healthy enough to play, and if not, might he opt for season-ending surgery now?

 

So many questions; so many answers still to come.

 

[The Unknown Poster]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/kane-skipped-game-after-incident-with-teammates/

Evander Kane failed to show 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 was previously believed the Jets had made Kane a scratch for the game in his hometown. Following the 3-2 overtime loss on Tuesday, Paul Maurice termed it a “coach’s decision.”

 

However, multiple sources familiar with the situation have since indicated that Kane was not on the team’s bus to Rogers Arena and then missed a pre-game meeting. 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.

 

Earlier in the day, the 23-year-old winger is said to have had a run-in with teammates.

 

Kane wore a track suit when the Jets players gathered that morning — a violation of team policy. Following 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.

 

That was the last the Winnipeg players saw of Kane until the team’s charter flight home.

 

The Jets organization has been extremely tight-lipped about why Kane missed the game. Further clouding the issue is the belief the player has been dealing with an unspecified injury all year, one that could eventually require season-ending surgery.

 

He did not participate in Thursday’s practice at MTS Centre, and Maurice told reporters afterwards that he was meeting with team doctors.

 

Winnipeg is currently clinging to a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. It has lost five-straight games heading into Friday’s matchup with Chicago.

[The Unknown Poster]

Peter Tessier:

 

"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 also underground and very difficult for cell service."

[The Unknown Poster]

Read a quote from Wheeler but cant find it confirmed anywhere else, that when asked about the situation he replied "the team has rules" and if Kane doesnt want to play by the rules there are other places to play.  I know Buff made a remark about rules.

 

Saw some more rumblings about the Pens talking with Jets with Kunitz/Bennett + Pick/prospect coming back.

[IC Khari]

Why all this crap within the team (if true) when the team is in the midst of 5 game losing skid? Oh ya, sophomoric and asinine are right beside one another in the thesaurus ...

[The Unknown Poster]

Ive always felt the team seemed to have a delicate psyche.  I wonder how much internal strife might have played a part in any past on-ice performances.

[Rich]

Is it me or is this an odd tweet from Pascucci?

 

From everything I'm reading regarding Evander Kane track suit incident. Seems to me his teammates quit on him before he quit on them

— Joe Pascucci (@Pascucci015)

February 5, 2015

[The Unknown Poster]

Is it me or is this an odd tweet from Pascucci?

 

From everything I'm reading regarding Evander Kane track suit incident. Seems to me his teammates quit on him before he quit on them

— Joe Pascucci (@Pascucci015)

February 5, 2015

I just replied to that too.  Weird.  There are some other people taking the anti-Buff position.  Sure it was childish.  And if I am a **** at my office, my co-workers cant throw my clothes in the shower.  But this isnt an office.  Its sports where locker rooms police themselves.

 

I cant believe Joe, a guy whos been around the Jets, thinks the team quit on Kane.  You can read in their comments and see in body language that they are sick of him.

 

And here's the thing - Buff would have been suspended if his actions weren't deemed appropriate or understandable by the team.

[Rich]

If Kane would have been a professional and not worn the track suit, it wouldn't have happened.

Act like an entitled child, get treated as one.

[Floyd]

Pascucci always tries to get attention - Scott Taylor should pop up soon too

[Noeller]

There are certain things that only people who have lived the locker room culture can understand. What Buff (or whoever) did is completely acceptable. I don't believe for one second that this is the first time Kane has broken rules or gone against his teammates. 

 

This was long overdue, as is his impending trade...

[Rich]

Some interesting quotes from Jets players in Lawless' latest article

 

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/Kane-visiting-with-doctors-today-about-lingering-injury--290954851.html

 

 

'There’s a standard that everybody needs to live up to. We’re professionals. We make a lot of money. That’s the code we live by. If you don’t like it then there’s other places you can go. This is the way we do things.' Blake Wheeler

 

 

"We’re just a tight group. It is what it is. It’s just among us… it’s things we’ve got to handle ourselves."

Byfuglien did say that team rules are to be followed, no matter how incidental they may seem

"I’m sure you have rules in your household," he said. "And if the kids don’t stick to it, you’ve got to discipline them. It is what it is."

 

 

And Byfuglien's quote on moving back up to forward:

 

 

"Obviously it’s not the ideal spot I want to be in right now," said Byfuglien. "But we’re a team and they needed a guy to fill that spot. And I’m the lucky guy.

"It is what it is. I’ve got a job to do. I’ve got to come to the rink and go to work every day. What position I’m playing, sometimes I don’t know. But that’s my job, to play hockey, and as long as I’ve got a stall in the NHL I don’t really care."

[Brandon]

Kane won't get traded... If he does it will be during the off season.

[Goalie]

And it won't be for a 35 year old kunitz plus an injured Bennett

[New_Earth_Mud]

Would be stupid if The Jets just lost their minds and traded Kane for whatever just to do it quick.

 

I sure am glad we have Maurice here tho.... seems like he will keep the room together without it all going to ****.

[The Unknown Poster]

The battleground has been set.  Kane's agent will be doing media today and surely framing the story, at best, as an injured player who courageously played through the pain getting to the point where he just couldnt do it anymore.  At worst, he will accuse the Jets management of allowing an atmosphere of bullying,

 

But Kane went to Vancouver to play.  He had a large amount of tickets for friends and family.  Unless he aggravated his injury at the strip club he went to sulk at that afternoon, he flat out quit on his team.  Besides which, Im pretty sure that for a player to not play due to injury, the process isnt he goes missing for several hours and then phones in saying he aint coming.

 

Some great discussion on the Big Show this morning and I was very interested to hear what Troy Westwood would say since he had many years as a pro athlete in a locker room.  He said he saw this same thing (clothes being tossed in shower/tub) a handful of times and everytime the "victim" was a complete jackass that wore thin on his team mates and a message was being sent that you're not wanted.

 

Lawless' retort to that was he wouldnt go as far as call Kane an ass because "I dont know him personally, he's made sure of that", which is itself a telling remark.

 

But since we need to blame people lets spread it around.  Andrew Ladd's leadership has come under question before.  I think its fair when something like this blows up to wonder what the Captain was doing.  We dont know.  Maybe he gave Buff the okay.  Maybe he had words with Kane earlier and this happened after that.  But Im curious to know what the Captain's role was not just on Tuesday but over the last few years when it pertains to Kane.

 

And secondly, what did Ladd do/say towards Management?  And how bad does this make management look?  We know from past speculation and incidents that Kane has not been a perfect fit.  We can presume that this latest incident was the result of a cumulative effect in the locker room.  What responsibility does management take in letting it get to this point where essentially the players have now dictated to the GM that they dont want Kane on the team in such a way that it hampers Chevy's ability to make a deal.

 

Today will bring us some more news.  Its friday so if the agent is waiting til this afternoon to drop any bombshells, its good timing.  Will Kane have surgery?  If so, that shuts down trade talk until the off season.  Kane has been able to play...so does he now get the trade he seemingly always wanted or does he say screw it and shut himself down?  Does the agent use this as leverage to have a say in trade talk?

 

As the guys said this morning, we may never hear from kane again.  But at some point Chevy is going to have to step forward and discuss this. 

 

How will the team react tonight?  You'd hope this would bring them together to make a point that they can be better without Kane.  And it will be interesting to see if thats the case or if the distractions impact the play.  This incident could be the turning point of the season...both bad or good.

[Jimmy Pop]

I really expect the Jets to come out strong tonight. A straight W will be tough, but they'll be right in the game I think. CHI seems to bring out the best in us. As does, this season anyway, adversity. I do believe the Jets have a tight room. They play hard for eachother, have all year, and maybe like during the plague of injuries on the blueline earlier, this will galvanize them and push them past this losing streak. One can hope.... Either way, it's GAMEDAY and it's FRIDAY. GO Jets GO.

[Goalie]

The battleground has been set? Holy crap this is minor league stuff. Kane? Who cares. Dude walked out on his team and fans. Time to let it die and move on. Seriously. This story is definitely at the who cares really level right now. Kane walked out on his fans and team. As far as I'm concerned he's done as a jet. And quite frankly. Good riddance to all the unnecessary drama that he has brought to the team and city for 3 plus years now. Kane can go eff himself really

[gbill2004]

@WiebeSunSports: #NHLJets Mark Stuart was asked if team would welcome Evander Kane back if he was healthy? "Absolutely."

[The Unknown Poster]

@WiebeSunSports: #NHLJets Mark Stuart was asked if team would welcome Evander Kane back if he was healthy? "Absolutely."

Stuart also said the media would "never know the whole story" and that the Jets locker room was the best he's been in since being traded to Atlanta.

[The Unknown Poster]

Kane to have surgery.  Out 4-6 months.

There you have it.

[basslicker]

I love what Buff did.  It's the job of veterans to take th elead and try to bring loose cannons into line.

[The Unknown Poster]

Reports are that teammates cut up one of his track suits in Atlanta too.  There is a lot you can do with a player but how to you coach away stupid?

 

We also know of the girlfriend incident (was it this season) where the team was on a Florida road trip and brought his girlfriend along and supposedly the other players were annoyed that he was treating it like a vacation.

 

There was talk in season one (I think) that things got so bad the Jets brought his father in to stay for a few days, travel with him and have a little father/son talk.

 

And ofcourse there is the "mystery concussion" that some people swears they have first hand knowledge was actually the result of an altercation with a teammate (I probably cant go into more detail).

 

When you consider the things we know, when Stuart says "you guys will never know the whole story", it tells you these things were likely the tip of the iceberg.

[The Unknown Poster]

680 CJOB Sports @CJOBSports  ·  1m 1 minute ago

#NHLJets @EKane9JETS Agent Craig Oster says no one, including himself, knows the facts about what happened Tuesday in Vancouver.

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

 

 

 

Isnt it his job to know?

[Noeller]

 

680 CJOB Sports @CJOBSports  ·  1m 1 minute ago

#NHLJets @EKane9JETS Agent Craig Oster says no one, including himself, knows the facts about what happened Tuesday in Vancouver.

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

 

 

 

Isnt it his job to know?

 

He can know what he's been told, but unless you were there, you will never know the facts...

 

There is not a doubt in my mind that this kid has been a huge pain in the ass for the rest of the team for a long time now, but they tried to rehab him because of the natural talent. Couldn't be done. Now he's gotta get gone, and they can get back to the business of winning some hockey games.