Kane's arrest won't affect Team USA bid, official says
Patrick Kane was met with nothing but support from USA Hockey officials and his potential Olympic teammates Monday on the first day of the U.S. orientation camp at Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge.
Team USA general manager Brian Burke said the Aug. 9 incident in Buffalo, where Kane was arrested after an alleged altercation with a taxi driver, would not affect the Blackhawks star's chances of making the American team for the February Olympics in Vancouver.
"Being in the wrong place at the wrong time or making a poor decision does not affect my judgment of Patrick Kane or his ability to contribute to our team," Burke said.
"I do believe character is a vital element in putting together a winning team, I've always stressed it and always will, but I think it's possible for a young man to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and make a poor decision. I know when I was Patrick Kane's age, I did a couple things I wouldn't want to talk about up here."
On Thursday a grand jury in Buffalo will make its determination whether to proceed with the charges filed against Kane and his cousin, James M. Kane.
"There's a pattern here," Burke said. "The pattern is a player gets involved in some incident that's newsworthy and everything stops. It's front-page news, every television station in Chicago and Buffalo covers it. Often the athlete is exonerated and seldom does that receive the same coverage.
"As far as I'm concerned this will play itself out. I wish I could talk more about it, I'll tell you that. I'm not scolding the media, it's just the world we live in."
Mike Modano, the Dallas Stars great and now the elder statesman for USA Hockey, said everyone at the camp has Kane's back.
Modano, a star in the NHL himself with the Minnesota North Stars at Kane's age, also spoke of how young athletes need to be careful what they do off the ice.
"There are life lessons and things that happen," Modano said. "I was no saint when I was 18, 19 or 20 years old either. It takes a lot of willpower to kind of control yourself and make good decisions.
"There were a lot of things I did probably that were never caught on tape or filmed or put on Facebook or on camera phones, but there are situations you learn from and I expect he will from this."
Modano noticed that Kane was quiet on Monday's first workout.
"Probably less is more right now," Modano said. "He's a teammate and we want to support him in any way. I'm open if he wants to approach me. If he is comfortable talking, I'm always there."
Scott Gomez seconded Modano's comments.
"No one knows what the real situation is, but he's part of our group and he's a member of this team," Gomez said. "He's a great USA hockey player and a great kid and a special talent. We're all here to support him."