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Hawks' president waiting for more details to unfold on Kane's arrest

Posted August 10, 2009 11:00 pm

By Tim Sassone

Chicago Blackhawks President John McDonough enjoys a moment with his daughter, Colleen McDonough of the Greater Woodfield Association, before speaking at the Schaumburg Business Association Tuesday morning. Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Blackhawks president John McDonough, in his first public appearance since Patrick Kane's arrest on Sunday in Buffalo, said it's still not time for the organization to comment on the incident.

"With the situation regarding Patrick Kane, it is a legal matter and it really would be inappropriate of me to comment on," McDonough said Tuesday at a speaking engagement before the Schaumburg Business Association's monthly Good Morning Schaumburg breakfast.

"I think all this is premature. I think we should wait until we find out what unfolds. It's really something I'm not comfortable commenting on until then," McDonough said after the meeting.

McDonough, who has been the Blackhawks president for 20 months, spoke to the SBA gathering of roughly 160 business representatives about his experiences in directing change in business and its culture, the importance of hiring quality people, not being afraid to take risks, and making difficult decisions based on sound processes.

Kane and his cousin, James M. Kane, have a felony hearing Monday in Buffalo City Court that Patrick Kane's attorney is trying to have moved to later in the week. The 20-year-old Blackhawks forward is scheduled to be at USA Hockey's Olympic orientation camp that begins Monday at Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge.

Kane and his 21-year-old cousin each have been charged with two counts of second-degree robbery, Class C felonies, as well as misdemeanor criminal mischief and theft of services from taxi driver Jan Radecki.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo News reported Tuesday that the 62-year-old Radecki has two drunken driving convictions and had no valid driver's license at the time of the incident.

There has been speculation that either the charges against the Kanes will be dropped or that the two sides will work out a settlement.

Chicago Blackhawks president John McDonough speaks to the Schaumburg Business Association about what it has been like to help lead change in the Blackhawks organization. Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

More than 160 people turned out at the Schaumburg Business Association's monthly meeting to hear Chicago Blackhawks president John McDonough talk about the practices all companies should employ. Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Chicago Blackhawks president John McDonough obliges Bambi Russell of Streamwood with an autograph after he spoke to the Schaumburg Business Association about the business practices employed by the Blackhawks organization. Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Twenty months into his role as Chicago Blackhawks president, John McDonough tells the Schaumburg Business Association at its monthly breakfast meeting Tuesday that any business can never be satisfied - it can always be better. Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Paul Bersch of Hoffman Estates, right, had a message to deliver to Blackhawks president John McDonough: "Thank you for bringing back hockey to Chicago." Bersch was among about 160 business representatives who listened to McDonough address the Schaumburg Business Association on Tuesday at Chandlers' Banquets in Schaumburg. Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

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