Nov. 07--Patrick Kane didn't say he was relieved and didn't say he was glad the sexual assault investigation he was facing ended Thursday with no charges and, at least for now, any discipline from the NHL. And he didn't say "I told you so."
Instead, Kane said he was happy most for his family and supporters who backed him throughout the three-month investigation and that he could turn more of his focus to hockey.
"You go through something like this, you realize who your close friends are and who your supporters are," Kane said Friday before he scored one goal in the Hawks' 4-2 loss to the Devils at the Prudential Center. "Obviously the Blackhawks have been great too. I appreciate all that support. It has meant a lot throughout this whole thing, the fans as well."
There is still a ripple effect the investigation will have such as what happens between Kane and the Hawks going forward and if the league will decide the August incident at Kane's home in western New York requires any discipline. But those are matters Kane did not discuss much Friday.
First, he declined to say whether he has met with the NHL, which is planning to review the facts of the case.
Kane also said there have been no talks with the Hawks throughout the investigation regarding a potential trade. Kane, who is in the first year of an eight-year, $84 million contract, has a no movement clause and would need to approve of any trade the Hawks try to make involving him.
"I'm sure that's a discussion for another day," Kane said when asked if the Hawks have told him he's in their long-term plans.
Kane also declined to say whether the incident will alter his life off the ice and whether he will curtail his social habits.
"I think there's probably a date and time to address those things," Kane said.
In September, team President John McDonough did not address whether he thought Kane needed to change his lifestyle and McDonough has not commented publicly about Kane since then.
If Kane had been charged, he could have faced a lengthy suspension from the league, hurting his team on the ice. Coach Joel Quenneville did not say whether he thought Kane needed to make changes in his personal life to avoid getting in a similar situation again and said what can happen to Kane could happen to anyone.
"Anything can happen," Quenneville said. "If you're looking on the negative side of things, a lot of things can go wrong, whether it's any individual. It's something that we're dealing with and we're moving forward."
Kane may not have expressed much emotion Friday, but captain Jonathan Toews said the Hawks were "happy" for Kane and that they did not doubt the investigation would conclude in his favor.
"That weight he probably has been carrying around for a long time now is finally off his shoulders," Toews said. "He has done an incredible job of focusing on his team, on himself and his job of playing great on the ice. ... It's hard to imagine the things that would have gone through my head or any other players in this room, had they gone through the same situation."
And Friday began the process for Kane to put that "situation" behind him.
chine@tribpub.com
