Will Kane Be Handed Down The Superstar Non-Suspension

We all know Patrick Kane is a douche bag. But he’s our douche bag and we love him for it.

We still laugh at him for his off-ice antics. He beat up a cabbie for not giving the correct change back, partied too hard (mainly shirtless) in a limo during the Olympics, and then had a very public drunken weekend where he passed out after an hour of drinking.

We, as hockey fans, have learned to accept this version of Kane. Not because we can easily tell he’s a lightweight. It’s his ability to not let his partying affect his game. When he’s on the ice, he’s completely professional. He’s so professional he has never been in a fight, on ice that is.

So when news came out of the allegations against Kane, the hockey world stopped.

Kane? Pat-Patrick Kane? A rapist? It’s hard to wrap our heads around it. To me, this is a player who listens to the Backstreet Boys on his way to the rink. We’re used to him acting reckless only to quickly be forced to apologize. But this, this is much different.

I guess it makes sense. I mean, this is a man who is so desperate to get laid that he crashes and parties at frat houses to pick from the litter of girls while bragging he’s THE Patrick Kane. He’s also a man who, as we’ve come to see, cannot handle his liquor. During one of those special blackouts, he supposedly choked a girl at one of these frat parties for not being interested in him.

Whether he did it or not, we can no longer respond to his behavior saying,boys will be boys”. As fans, we must recognize that Kane, the All-Star hockey player, may have a problem whether it be his drinking, maturity, or egotism.

This also goes for the league. The NHL, as well as the Blackhawks, has been particularly quiet since the investigation began over a month ago. Neither has said whether Kane will attend training camp or face suspension. It will all be determined after the investigation.

It’s understandable. No one wants to jump to conclusions just yet. But what if the evidence against Kane is true? How will the league react?

We have to remember that this is a league that has been under the same dictator commissioner, Gary Bettman, since 1992. Though there has not been that many off-ice incidents (that we know of), Bettman has not taken actions into his own hands.

For example, Dany Heatley killed his teammate in a car accident in 2003 and was not punished by the league. The only reason Heatley sat out for most of the season was to recover from the injuries he suffered in the accident. But let’s not forget, Heatley was a top player the previous season.

The only player to be suspended indefinitely by the NHL was Slava Voynov for allegedly hitting his new wife. Just think about that. No one else has been suspended for their off-ice activities. Mike Danton wasn’t even suspended from the league after being convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.

Yes, the NHL may not have as many players who commit criminal acts like the MLB, NBA, and especially the NFL. But this could be the chance for the league to start a precedent. They could stop giving superstars special treatment when it comes to punishments.

If Kane is found guilty, Bettman needs to step up. This is especially true if the court only rules Kane pay a fine and perform community service. Bettmen must set an example for how all professional sports must discipline their athletes, specifically the top paid athletes.

Hey, the league was the first to recognize that concussions were a bad thing and changed the way the game was played. Maybe the NHL can continue down that path.

The investigation against Kane is still in the early stages and he may not even be charged with the crime. We do not know what happened that night, so it’s hard for us to decide what’s real or not.

But we do know one thing for sure, there are going to be so many hilarious as well as highly inappropriate chants when they Blackhawks are on the road.

Danielle E. Meegan

 

 

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