NHL Week in Review (November 1-7)
Before the season began one of the biggest stories surrounded the superstar that had helped the Chicago Blackhawks to multiple titles.
On the ice Patrick Kane is one of the most skilled hockey players in the league. His ability to control the puck and skate through entire teams has helped the Blackhawks to become one of the top teams in the league.
Off of the ice he has had a bit of a different reputation though as there is no question that he likes to go out and enjoy himself during the off-season.
Although he hasn’t been in trouble every off-season he has taken the partying too far more than once.
In 2009 he was arrested for assaulting a cab driver after a night out in his hometown, Buffalo.
Both Kane and his cousin had allegedly beaten up their cab driver after he claimed not to have proper change for their cab fare.
Kane pled not guilty to many of the charges but guilty to disorderly conduct and was given a conditional discharge that would keep him without penalty if he stayed out of trouble for a year.
For many it was just another example of a superstar getting off easy despite doing something that would have had many people in jail.
Still what was done was done and Kane stayed out of trouble for a few years after that incident.
Then this off-season came and a much more serious charge was laid on Kane after another night out in Buffalo.
A woman came forward and accused Kane of sexual assault after both met at a bar and went back to his place afterwards.
The case was the latest in a long line of sports stars being accused of this type of crime and it is one with plenty of debate.
On one hand there are plenty of sports stars who believe they are above the law and that nobody can tell them no.
On the other hand there are people out there looking to take advantage of rich sports stars to get a payday.
When accusations come down like the one against Kane there are people on both sides of the argument and many waiting to see how things turn out in a trial.
Things got strange throughout the process of this case though with a leak in the police department releasing the results of a rape kit performed on the accuser, the kit came back negative.
Then the lawyer for the accuser brought forth tampering charges when he claimed that the bag containing the rape kit was left ripped open on the mother of the accuser’s doorstep.
The police department came back claiming that all evidence was accounted for while the lawyers for Kane claimed it was a hoax by the mother of the accuser.
The accuser’s lawyer then dropped out of the case claiming that he did not believe the allegations any longer.
This week the accuser reportedly refused to cooperate any longer and the police department stated that Kane was not going to be charged.
It was a strange case and one where no true answers were given but it also is a case that will test the NHL.
Professional leagues have been dealing with this issue for years as their players get in trouble, often getting off with no punishment, and people look to the league to dole out punishment.
The debate comes in a case like Kane who has not been charged or convicted of a crime, despite what personal opinions fans may have.
Can the NHL levy punishment against a player that has not been convicted of a crime? After all leagues and teams often state that they will wait to see how the case progresses before they hand out any punishment.
Kane has continued to claim his innocence and there are no charges against him officially but often when accusations come people have made up their minds before the case goes anywhere.
There are sure to be more than a few fans who believe he is guilty and want the NHL to provide punishment in some way against Kane.
Then again if the NHL does punish Kane without any real proof they will need to deal with the out lash from the player and the NHLPA for suspending someone without due cause.
It is a debate the NHL will now have to undergo as he could still face punishment from the league despite the case being dropped as the sports world and real world crossover once again.
Overtime
(More Thoughts on this week in hockey)
Superstar Down
Just as he was getting going Connor McDavid met the harsh reality of sports after a hit broke his collarbone and has put him on the IR where the potential rookie of the year will miss months of the season leaving the Oilers without their young star
Paid Patriotism
The US Senate launched an investigation regarding the involvement of military in sports and realized that the Department of Defence was paying teams to host military and create those touching moments and while the NFL was the focus six NHL teams were named
All-Star Changes
The players may not like the new 3-on-3 overtime but the fans love it and as a result the NHL is considering major changes to the all-star game reportedly getting set to make the all-star game a 3-on-3 mini-tournament in place of the final all-star game
Key Scores:
Chicago Blackhawks 4 – 2 Los Angeles Kings
– The Blackhawks and the Kings have been the two most dominant teams in the last few years and although the Blackhawks sit at the bottom of their division right now they still took the win against the Kings who are sitting at the top of their division
Colorado Avalanche 6 – 3 Calgary Flames
– Jarome Iginla had never scored against his former team as the former Flames’ captain struggled against them but this game was different as he scored twice and but his name among the players to score against every NHL team
St. Louis Blues 6 – 5 Chicago Blackhawks (OT)
– Chicago is sitting near the bottom of the league right now in one of the most competitive divisions in the league and needed this win to start competing but their long-time rivals took the win in overtime to keep the Blackhawks in the basement
Montreal Canadiens 4 – 2 Boston Bruins
– Both of these teams will be facing off in a big outdoor game this year but they were looking to take a win before that meeting as the Canadiens took the win and remained at the top of the division
Next Week:
Arizona Coyotes vs. Los Angeles Kings (Tuesday November 10th; 10:30 pm ET)
– The Coyotes take their young and surprising team into Los Angeles where they hope to make a mark against the team leading their division and show that they may be young but they are more than willing to compete with the best
Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (Wednesday November 11th; 7:30 pm ET)
– The Canadiens and Penguins will face-off on an important day as everyone remembers the veterans on Remembrance/Veterans’ Day as they will celebrate the day in Pittsburgh with the Penguins trying to prove that they can compete with the best in the league
St. Louis Blues vs. New York Rangers (Thursday November 12th; 7:00 pm ET)
– The Blues and the rangers are both having great seasons so far as they sit near the top of their divisions and are hoping to make a statement when they face each other proving that they can compete with the best in the league
Detroit Red Wings vs. Boston Bruins (Saturday November 14th; 7:00 pm ET)
– Two of the mot legendary teams in the states face-off both looking to gain a little momentum after the first month of the season where they ended up sitting in the middle of the division with hopes of moving up the rankings
The Sport Addiction 