Evander Kane Under Investigation for Sexual Assault

[The Unknown Poster]

Well here we go again.  Buffalo + Kane.  The biggest story to happen during the few days the site was down.

Sabres forward Evander Kane was calm and brief in saying he looks forward to having his name cleared in connection with a sex crime allegation.

"I just want to say I've done nothing wrong," Kane said Monday morning following Buffalo's pre-game skate before hosting the Washington Capitals. "I respect the legal process. And unfortunately at this time, there's not much more I can talk about."

Kane spoke for about 30 seconds in front of a large gathering of reporters in a corner of the Sabres locker room. He did not take any questions in his first comments since The Buffalo News reported that Buffalo police were investigating a claim made against the player.

The alleged incident occurred early Sunday at a downtown hotel, where Kane is living, after he and the Sabres returned to Buffalo following a 6-3 win at Boston. Police issued a statement that was limited to saying that no report or charges had been filed.

The investigation is in its preliminary stages, according to a person with direct knowledge of the details who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because officials are not publicly commenting about the case. The person said police searched Kane's room at the hotel and towed his vehicle, describing that as standard practice in such cases.

Would be in lineup

Kane rejoined his teammates after being given a personal day off on Sunday, when coach Dan Bylsma said the Sabres were made aware of the allegation. Bylsma said Kane would be in the lineup against the Capitals.

Without going into detail, Bylsma said Kane addressed the team before practice and added the player appeared happy to be on the ice with his teammates. Bylsma otherwise declined comment by referring to a statement the team released on Sunday.

"We take the allegation made today against Evander Kane very seriously," the Sabres said. "We are gathering facts and have been in touch with the NHL and Evander's representatives."

Kane, who is from North Vancouver, British Columbia, is the second NHL player to be investigated for a sex offence by police in the Buffalo area this year. In November, prosecutors cited a lack of credible evidence after reviewing an allegation against Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane, who was accused of assaulting a woman at his off-season home outside Buffalo in August.

Sabres captain Brian Gionta said the allegation against Kane shouldn't be a distraction.

"It's one of our teammates obviously, but the bottom line is, when we're in this room we have to worry about hockey," Gionta said. "Lots of things happen, and that's for him to deal with. Part of being a professional is trying to separate things."

Gionta referred to the team statement when asked how the team will support Kane.

"It's a serious accusation, but at the same time, that's what it is at this point in time," Gionta said. "And until things change, he's our teammate and that's about it."

The 24-year-old Kane is in his first full season in Buffalo after he was acquired in a multi-player trade with the Winnipeg Jets in February. He did not play for the Sabres last year because he was recovering from season-ending shoulder surgery.

This year, the hard-hitting forward has eight goals and five assists in 25 games.

Kane is in his seventh NHL season after being selected fourth overall by the then-Atlanta Thrashers in the 2009 draft. He has scored 19 or more goals three times, and enjoyed a career-best season in 2011-12, when he had 30 goals, 27 assists for 57 points in 74 games.

[IC Khari]

Witnesses say they saw a man wearing a smokin' track suit ...

[The Unknown Poster]

Public response should be very interesting considering the Patrick Kane fiasco.  I was someone who was surprised he wasnt charged to be honest.

Evander hired the same lawyer as Patrick...

Evander *was* engaged.  I guess his admission that it was consensual has ended that engagement (according to social media).

As a layman, a few things I see.  For one, the alleged victim did not call police.  The hospital did, due to injuries she suffered (presumably injuries consistent with a sexual assault).  The alleged victim could not remember events of the evening.  One article I read discussed how someone suffering a traumatic event could have short term amnesia.  My initial reaction was not amnesia but something else that might cause memory loss when 20-somethings party the night away.  The memory loss could be good or bad for Kane.  Good in that if she cant remember, she's a lousy witness.  Bad in that one can presume they did a toxicology and certain drugs would be bad news.

Big Show guys had someone on discussing the case and pointed out that Kane lives in a hotel beside the arena.  This is good for investigators (potential to be bad or good for Kane depending on what happened) as there will be more likelihood of witnesses, video cameras etc.

I find it interesting that they impounded Kane's car.  And the police initial statement was that the investigation would "take some time". 

Hopefully there is no assault in this case.  But an engaged player picking up a young woman mid-season for sex that she cant remember the next day and ends up in the hospital....just another reason most of us are thrilled this guy is Buffalo's problem.

Over/under on how long before he claims racism...?

[Goalie]

He's not engaged anymore. Probably innocent but.... you never know. Evander is gonna evander eventually. He's probably happy his name is in the news 

[Rich]

It had looked like Evander was trying to turn over a new leaf in Buffalo.

 

http://www.diebytheblade.com/2015/12/19/10625918/evander-kane-continues-to-do-good-in-buffalo-charity

 

Quote

Evander Kane came to Buffalo with a reputation of being spoiled. He was mocked and widely derided for some pictures ('phone', 'pushups') he'd taken and posted on social media with bundles of cash while at the Winnipeg Jets. He'd been called all sorts of names by fellow players, media and fans alike - 'distracting', 'immature', 'cocky', selfish' and 'jerk' are terms that were bandied about.

However, in the short time he's been in Western New York, it's fair to say that we've not seen anything like this. The player seems to have left those labels in the past and has immersed himself in the Buffalo Sabres, with teammates only saying good things about the player. Off the ice, he has been heavily involved with the Boys & Girls Club of Buffalo and Western New York. This week we also heard about the story of teenager Kylee who is undergoing cancer treatment and Kane, who is her favorite player, stepped up with a care package for her as she traveled to New York City for surgery.

Yesterday marked another big day for Kane's philanthropy. The player took 50 children from the Boys and Girls Club to dinner at popular downtown establishment Chef's Restaurant. That was not all though, because after the meal was done, he then treated the kids to a shopping spree at a nearby Target, to the tune of $200 each.

 

[Goalie]

He did all that here 2. Really good guy when it involves kids or charities. Questionable when it comes to other things tho. I do think when he was here the media was after him but he certainly didn't help his case at times. Guy loves attention. At what point is he considered a bust? 

[The Unknown Poster]

I dont know him, but I take some of the charity stuff with a grain of salt.  Perhaps he's a spoiled, immature punk with a legitimate love for kids and charities.  But the cynic in me wonders how much of it is his agent advising him of the good will it buys.

Even if he's innocent, the fact he picked up a girl at a bar for "consensual" sex that she cant remember and ended up injured speaks to his character.  I think most of us who enjoyed the bar scene in our 20's had a line we didnt cross and it was generally when the girl wouldnt be able to remember what she was doing... (or at least that was one of the lines).

Im not sure I'd call him a bust yet.  I really wanted him in my pool.  Thought he'd have a big year.  The return on that trade looks better all the time.

[Brandon]

And people thought Tyler Myers and Stafford were busts and that this trade wasn't so one sided.

This may have been the biggest one sided trade in Jets 1 or 2.0 history.  

[Goalie]

It's kind of 2 early to say that for sure but.... Considering the Jets not only got Myers and Stafford but Lemieux, Armia and what turned out to be Roslovic, Yeah it's kind of looking like a steal for the Jets. Still could see us flipping Myers and eventually Stafford in the future but... regardless, that trade is definitely looking like a big win for the Jets. 

 

Bogo and Myers are similar players tho, Bogo is more physical and Myers brings more O but Bogo is always hurt...

 

Kane is probably better than Stafford, he has a higher ceiling at least, may never reach it, probably won't... was he not a 3rd or something overall pick? That's why i'm wondering when is Kane considered a bust? 

 

[FrostyWinnipeg]

2 minutes ago, Brandon said:

And people thought Tyler Myers and Stafford were busts and that this trade wasn't so one sided.

This may have been the biggest one sided trade in Jets 1 or 2.0 history.  

Well most one sided trade was Teemu.

Runner ups: Draft pick to MTL which they used to draft Roy ; Babych for Neufeld.

If you talking positive trade for us then either Carlyle or the trade with St. Louis to get Maclean, Staniowski and Maxwell.

[Goalie]

LOL. the most one sided trade ever is by far the Gretzky to LA one... That didn't need to happen.

 

I wouldn't count the Teemu trade because he wanted to go, he didn't want to be here to see the team leave, he's said it b4, he wanted to be traded cuz he couldn't deal with the team leaving Winnipeg. If that team stayed here, Teemu wouldn't have been traded. 

[The Unknown Poster]

13 minutes ago, Goalie said:

LOL. the most one sided trade ever is by far the Gretzky to LA one... That didn't need to happen.

 

I wouldn't count the Teemu trade because he wanted to go, he didn't want to be here to see the team leave, he's said it b4, he wanted to be traded cuz he couldn't deal with the team leaving Winnipeg. If that team stayed here, Teemu wouldn't have been traded. 

This is the first I am hearing of this.  I've seen news stories from that day where Teemu was distraught and said he felt betrayed and never wanted to leave.  The theory is that the new owners couldnt afford both Teemu and Tkachuk and chose the American they thought would be an easier marketing chip in Arizona.

[Goalie]

Perhaps wanting to go was the wrong word to use, he didn't but he also couldn't deal with the thought of the team leaving Winnipeg. The guy loved Winnipeg and still does to this day. He was distraught because he found out that it was for sure that the team was leaving. He felt betrayed cuz the management at the time kind of bs'd him about the whole thing... There was no chance they were staying, it was known for longer than they admitted that they were leaving, the rallys at the forks, the 'save the jet's " stuff.. it was all pointless cuz the team was going.... regardless. It was gone. Teemu and others were somewhat lied too for a while by the people in charge, saying we might stay, we might stay, it's not guaranteed we are leaving. 

 

Yes, the american owners pick Keith over Teemu but... nobody ever told teemu the truth about the entire situation either. Rumors are once he found out for sure that the team was indeed leaving, he asked to be moved. 

[FrostyWinnipeg]

30 minutes ago, Brandon said:

This may have been the biggest one sided trade in Jets 1 or 2.0 history.  

 

21 minutes ago, Goalie said:

LOL. the most one sided trade ever is by far the Gretzky to LA one... That didn't need to happen.

Yes but we talking Jets

[The Unknown Poster]

I saw video of the day the trade went down and Teemu was very unhappy.  By then everyone knew the team was leaving.  I wouldnt say he asked for a trade.  I think he was promised he would not be traded.

Anyway...off topic.  If Roslovic or Lemieux ends up better than Kane, we win the trade running away.  The fact Stafford and Armia are both contributing roster members (and Stafford helped the Jets make the playoffs last year) almost makes it at least even already.  Kane is the most talented forward in the group so far but the sum of what we got is greater than what Kane is right now.  Unless he begins to live up to his potential, this trade is going to be the crown jewel of Chevy's GM career for many, many years, especially if Roslovic becomes the stud he could be...

[Goalie]

Not to mention, removing the toxicity out of the dressing room. That right there is a huge win for the JETS. 

[The Unknown Poster]

Just now, Goalie said:

Not to mention, removing the toxicity out of the dressing room. That right there is a huge win for the JETS. 

I wonder how the Buffalo players feel about him....  It was a failure of Jets management to manage the situation that you had Kane demanding a trade for four years before his team mates finally had enough and essentially kicked him off the team.  Lousy management to let it get that far.  But we won in the end.

[Goalie]

Well, Let's just review a couple of the Buffalo players....

 

Ryan O'reilly... signs his contract and then is charged with a DUI immediately after

Evander Kane .... Sexual Assault charges pending.

 

He probably fits right in. 

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Something about the Buffalo bars...

[Goalie]

Let's hope Glenn Jacobs stays away from Buffalo...

 

What's gonna happen when Carolina plays there? or will they be ok cuz they are the HurriCANES. 

 

I want to give Evander the benefit of the doubt but i don't know him, i'm not sure about him, he's one of those guys that... yeah i could see him doing this and thinking he can get away with it... I dunno, I sound awful but... it's really hard for me to think that Evander is completely innocent in all this, I'm not sure Patty Kane was innocent either, but.... who really knows. 

 

Evander tho, man the guy just has "creep" written all over him, from shirtless twitter profile pics to sending out "candy kanes" on his instagram... apparently (it's what i've heard, for some reason, he's blocked me on twitter and i don't know why exactly) 

 

[FrostyWinnipeg]

13 minutes ago, Goalie said:

What's gonna happen when Carolina plays there? or will they be ok cuz they are the HurriCANES.

If that's an original funny then that's a +5

[The Unknown Poster]

32 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Let's hope Glenn Jacobs stays away from Buffalo...

 

What's gonna happen when Carolina plays there? or will they be ok cuz they are the HurriCANES. 

 

I want to give Evander the benefit of the doubt but i don't know him, i'm not sure about him, he's one of those guys that... yeah i could see him doing this and thinking he can get away with it... I dunno, I sound awful but... it's really hard for me to think that Evander is completely innocent in all this, I'm not sure Patty Kane was innocent either, but.... who really knows. 

 

Evander tho, man the guy just has "creep" written all over him, from shirtless twitter profile pics to sending out "candy kanes" on his instagram... apparently (it's what i've heard, for some reason, he's blocked me on twitter and i don't know why exactly) 

 

 

As spectators its human nature for us to speculate on available information.  I was surprised that Patrick wasnt indicted (until the blow up fiasco with the victim's mom and the tampered evidence).  Will definitely be more cautious in my predictions on this one.

Like I said, a girl usually doesnt end up in the ER with memory loss and injuries from an evening of consensual sex....

[Ducky]

I'd take ROR on the Jets in a heartbeat. DUI or not. He is the best move the sabres have made in years. If players like RyJo had his drive, he'd be a Hart Trophy winner.

I'd guess that Kane is innocent but what do we know. We can speculate but that is all it is ... speculation.

 

[FrostyWinnipeg]

2 hours ago, Goalie said:

LOL. the most one sided trade ever is by far the Gretzky to LA one... That didn't need to happen

I'm not sure it was one-sided. EDM won the next cup without him. Gretzky never won another.

[Rich]

5 minutes ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

I'm not sure it was one-sided. EDM won the next cup without him. Gretzky never won another.

Just shows you how stacked Edmonton was back then.  You really think the primary focus of this deal wasn't $15M in cash?

 

Quote

Gretzky, McSorley and center Mike Krushelnyski went to the Kings in exchange for center Jimmy Carson, wing Martin Gelinas, first-round draft picks in 1989, 1991 and 1993, and $15 million.