THE THIRD MAN IN

Full transcript of Patrick Kane's statement to the assembled media, shortly after 10am this morning at Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge, Illinois on the opening day of Team USA Olympic orientation camp.

Hello everyone,

I've been very lucky to achieve every kid's dream to play in the National Hockey League, let alone for a great organization like the Chicago Blackhawks.

Now I also have a chance to play for my country.  A dream come true for myself and also my family.

I know everyone wants to talk about what happened in Buffalo.  As you know the legal proceedings are pending and I cannot discuss the details at this time.

Because I put myself at being in the wrong position at the wrong time, I've caused a lot of pain for my family, my hometown of Buffalo, the City of Chicago, the Chicago Blackhawks and obviously the great fans we have here in Chicago.

And for that part, I sincerely apologize.

But now its time for me to move forward.

I'm excited to get back to the ice and represent the Chicago Blackhawks and the United States Olympic Hockey team.

Thank you

-- 52 seconds

Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman was seated directly to Kane's left on the podium alongside 2010 U.S. Olympic Hockey G.M. Brian Burke.  Kane was ushered in and ushered immediately out after he spoke.  He appeared nervous and mildly shaken as he walked out of the media room.

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Bob Verdi of the Chicago Tribune wrote a nice article today about Jeremy Roenick and the latter's interest in returning to the organization, possibly in an ambassador role.

While not stated, today (August 16th) is actually the 13th anniversary of the trade which sent Roenick to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for Alexei Zhamnov and Craig Mills (who Blackhawks fans were sold a bad bill of goods containing promises Mills was a spitting image of Roenick on the ice). 

Also in that trade, the Hawks received the Coyotes 1997 1st round draft pick.  The team drafted a position of weakness, power forward, and a player, Ty Jones, who'd promptly be given Jeremy Roenick's former sweater number 27.  Jones, of course, never amounted to anything and was quickly out of hockey all together.

Upon arriving in Arizona, Roenick conceded his familiar number 27 to Coyotes/Winnipeg Jets mainstay defenseman Teppo Numminen and switched the the number he'd keep until eventually finishing his career in San Jose, where he dawned the number twenty-seven for the final two seasons of his 20-year NHL career.

Why all this talk of sweater numbers?  In Verdi's piece today in the Tribune, Roenick is once again campaigning for the Blackhawks to retire his number 27.

A spokesperson for USA Hockey announced yesterday Patrick Kane will make his first statement on allegations he and his 21-year old cousin James Kane assaulted and stole their cab fare from Jan Radecki, 62, the driver who picked the pair up at 4am in the nightlife district on Chippewa Street in downtown Buffalo.

USA Hockey has noted Monday will be the only time Kane will be made available at this week's 3-day camp at Seven Bridges in Woodridge to speak about the incident.

Considering the matter is currently out with a grand jury on consideration of criminal charges against the Kane pair, I'd expect Kane will read a carefully prepared written statement, undoubtedly written by someone other than Patrick Kane, and take no follow up questions from the media.

Grand jury has the case  Roman Modrowski, ESPNChicago.com

Kane, just another victim of hockey's 'dirty little secret'  Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette

Patrick Kane's defense beginning to take form  Chris Kuc, Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune

Kane's Lawyer, Patrick, seperating themselves from cousin  w/Lawyer audio ESPNChicago

More from ESPN Chicago:  Jeremy Roenick says Kane will be first to say he was wrong

Rosenblog  Patrick Kane's game face  Steve Rosenbloom

Cabbie's lawyer Kane's best defense  Terry Farrell, Grand Prairie Herald Tribune

Decisions on Kane not complicated for Hawks  Mike Imrem, Daily Herald

Will Kane answer wake-up call?  Barry Rozner, Daily Herald

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By Gene Unterman

Theoren Fleury, Claude Lemeuix and Chris Chelios are all younger then I am.  I quit playing hockey, (old-timers) when I was their age.  I quit refereeing, (after ten years and up to the college level) in my late 40’s. Now I think I can make a come-back, maybe I can play AHL, maybe I can ref Division 1 Hockey and maybe I can fall flat on my face. Most likely the latter.

Desire is a wonderful thing. Reality is another thing all together. The history of one time proficient, but older NHL’ers making a comeback is rare. Yes, Gordie Howe played in four decades, but taking one face-off in the AHL is the only thing that qualifies him for that honor.

I am going to assume if you are reading this you are a Blackhawks fan, sorry Chris I guess you are excluded. It is an early testament to Stan Bowman that we have heard no rumors of Chelios, Jeremy Roenick –before his retirement announcement – or Fleury making a return to the Hawks.  Damn, I really wanted to go drinking at a strip joint in Nashville. Actually I have heard of no rumors in recent days of Stan Bowman being replaced by Bob Murray. Does that mean it won’t happen? Well no more chance than Sean Avery being invited to a 16 years old girls coming out party.   It could get quite sloppy.

Michel Goulet thought of as an afterthought following his Quebec Nordiques career, spent part of five seasons with the Hawks averaging in the mid-twenties in goals and the mid-thirties in assist each year. This is truly an exception to the rule. Do you remember Wendell Clark’s Blackhawk career?

This is another time. This is another decade; in fact this is another century. Gone are the times any team can nurse a Mark Bell along sucking up valuable cap space while lower draft picks are maturing into players who will show more grit and class. Gone are the times when Old Man Wirtz’s mis-guided considerations kept favorites around well past their expiration date.  Read Pulford and others.

Then again gone are the times of walking into the second balcony restrooms in the old barn yielding you an opportunity to commune with mother-nature? And I don’t mean making room for more beer. Although, that was important as well.

Where am I going with all of this; good question. The Hawks are doing well and I don’t remember those words coming out of my mouth since Darryl Sutter left the bench. I feel good about the coaching – although I can remember hating Quenneville for years watching him patrol the Blues bench when playing the Hawks – I feel good about the GM – felt better about Tallon – and I feel good about ownership.

I feel good about the O-fense, much more encouraged about the D-fense, and how can you not be happy with the organ-I-zation in general.

While the financial future of the AHL Dogs is certainly an issue, many of the picks toiling in the minors are rated high in the Hockey News Future Watch.

We all should feel very encouraged for the future. Solid on so many levels, and if for any reason  only two of our “Young Trio”,  of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews or Duncan Keith are ultimately signed for the future, that with the  necessity of bringing young players along – read cap space – encourages me greatly.

Oh, I forgot goaltending. Shit, never mind.

All on this week's edition of  The Third Man In ~ Radio ~ E.6 ~ "Scumbag", which you can hear now on archive by clicking the play button at the bottom of this update.  Last week's show "Trios" is still available in the player at the right side of our front page.

In case you missed the announcement (I'm assuming this is most of you), the new time slot for our radio show from this point forward will be Tuesday nights at 8 o'clock.

If you choose, you can join us live, every Tuesday at 8pm over at BlogTalkRadio.com/TheThirdManin.  We talk your phone calls on the TTMI Listener Line at (347) 857-3781.

As you would've predicted, tonight we discussed Patrick Kane, his actions over the weekend, both alleged and what we can presume from the facts we've been given and our reactions to those.

We went a bit over the live stream (8-9pm) and into overtime (TTMI~Extra), eight minutes or so, on the archive which you can hear in the player above.  Probably our best show yet, though I'm not sure what that says?  Thanks to all those who listen, both live and at your convenience in the archives.

Find and click the radio player after the jump.....

Buffalo News has the story. 

Update: 6:30am Monday

WIVB in Buffalo was the first to release Patrick Kane's mugshot.

Blackhawks media director Brandon Faber issued this statement to approved media Sunday evening:

"We are aware of the allegations toward Patrick Kane. He is a big part of our organization and a team leader and we stand behind him. As we are still collecting all the facts, it would be premature to comment further at this time."

As Tim Sassone pointed out, the Buffalo police does not list alcohol in the official incident report.  Interesting, considering it was 4am, the Kane's indicated they were returning from downtown Buffalo's party street and by the looks of that mugshot, Kane appears a bit off.  And there is the minor issue of Kane not being of legal drinking age.

Tribune's Chris Kuc and William Lee report.  Kuc points out Kane is due back in town this weekend to prepare for next week's U.S. Olympic Team orientation camp in Woodridge.

Monday morning, Patrick Kane is currently the lead story on Yahoo!'s front page.

You know the story's mainstream when Richard Roeper leads his Monday column with it.

Summer of unsavory incidents a blow to Blackhawks image  Rick Morrisey, Chicago Tribune

Kane's arrest adds to off-season of missteps, bad publicity  Tim Sassone, Daily Herald

Mike Imrem  Whatever happened in Buffalo, it's not good

Obviously we'll be talking about all of this and much more in great detail on our TTMI radio show tomorrow night at 8pm.  I have many thoughts, and they won't be for the faint of heart.

ChrisBlock@TheThirdManIn.com

Thursday August 6, 2009 edition of The Third Man In ~ Radio ~ "Trios"

Superstar nearly no-shows and Tony pinch-hits as our third wheel for the hour.  Good show.  We're getting better and no persistent knocking at my back door tonight on the audio side so that's an additional plus.

We didn't get to everything but the effort was there.  The player is after the jump.....

Don't forget to join us live tonight at 8pm central for the next action-packed edition of The Third Man In ~ Radio, over at BlogTalkRadio.com.

For an hour we'll be chirping about all the latest topics including the Jeremy Roenick retirement (which you would've known about last Thursday if you listened to our show); thoughts on J.R.'s career, his place amongst elite Blackhawk pantheon, his future in the organization, his future in media and television as well as personal thoughts of mine and Superstar's as fans in the eighties and nineties watching the transformation from the Savard era to the Roenick-led Blackhawks and who was more exciting; Roenick or Savard?  We welcome you to call in and share your thoughts as well.

Also, we'll be discussing the Marian Hossa contract controversy, the NHL "investigation," what's it's really all about, why the league has taken a sudden belated interest, their true intentions and why Sir Gary has to make this stand.... The Kevin Cheveldayoff hiring; the good, the not-so-good and why its much to do about nothing.... A look at where the Blackhawks' front office was two months ago as opposed to what it looks like today...

We've got a whole new batch of reader emails and we'll get to a few of those as well.  Including, and especially, one from the female reader whose email I referenced at the top of last week's show and then never got around to reading and answering.  She has some new words for me as do some other readers.

Hopefully we'll get to the mess out in Rockford; the IceHogs' ownership's financial state, problems that lie ahead and where Blackhawks prospects could find themselves in the not too distant future.

It seems my love life has been a topic of discussion this week (again, listen to last week's show) so I'm sure this will get addressed as well... I hope to have enough time to touch on Al Cimaglia's Trent Yawney article from last week.... As well as Mike Kiley's piece on NASCAR embracing the "blogosphere".... We won't talk about "Forklift" embracing Twitter, but I may briefly explain my new-found disdain for it.... A new schedule for TTMI Radio.... Beating up vending machines..... Working in an office full of hot chicks~!.... J.R. jerseys.... Double-shifting.... Drinking 16 cups of coffee a day.... Preparing to pass my first stone.... An update on my feet.... What Block does for fun... The Rubber Ducky Derby~!.... NFL Fantasy Football.... TTMI Fantasy Hockey.... Rules for the board.... New features.... UFC 101 predictions.... Lollapalooza and much, much more I'm sure....

All that and we'll be taking your phone calls live at 347-857-3781 starting at about 8:15.  Talk to ya then~!

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Hawks to NHL: Nothing wrong with Hossa deal

Sassone says NHL needs to "get real"

Blackhawks say they are clean in Hossa signing

New Hossa Chapter for the Chicago LaughHawks  Steve Rosenbloom, Tribune

Signing of Hossa nothing but a headache for the Blackhawks  Len Ziehm, Sun-Times

Ziehm blog:  Flap over Hossa contract "smacks of jealousy"

-- If Deputy Commissioner Bill Daley is to be believed, ahem, no other team or interested party influenced the league's decision to investigate the Hossa, Pronger, Zetterberg and Franzen deals.  Daley claimed as much on a Toronto radio station on Friday.

NHL to hire outside firm to investigate contracts  Scott Burnside, ESPN.com

NHL confirms investigation into Pronger-Philly contract extension  Philadelphia Daily News 

Huet ready for "new" challenge  blackhawks.nhl.com

Stan Bowman following in his father's footsteps  blackhawks.nhl.com

Disturbing Fleming YouTube videos resonate with fans  Dan Rozek article, Chicago Sun-Times

-- Join us on Thursday night at 8pm Chicago time for our next edition of TheThirdManIn ~ Radio, live at BlogTalkRadio.com.  We'll be taking your calls live and addressing email questions on the show.  I'm sure the Marian Hossa contract, and the league's investigation of it, will be discussed at some point during the hour.  There's a lot to discuss on that issue.  Points that have already been made everywhere, and a few blatant ones somehow missed by almost everyone covering the story.  We ran out of time before getting to it last Thursday, but we should address the financial well-being of the Blackhawks' AHL affiliate Rockford as well, and if the Hawks are already investigating an alternative.  If you can't join us live, the show will be posted, as always, on the site shortly after we go off the air.  If you missed last Thursday night's show, you can also check it out in our TTMI Radio player on the right side of our main page.

-- Catching up on some Blackhawks' related birthdays.  Troy Murray turned 47 this past Friday... Dan Vincelette celebrated his 42nd birthday on Saturday... Danny Richmond, now with the St. Louis Blues, turned 25 on Saturday.... And Tony Amonte turned 39 on Sunday....

-- Ten years ago today (August 2, 1999), the Blackhawks signed former Toronto Maple Leafs, Quebec Nordiques, New York Islanders and most-recently (at the time) Detroit Red Wings' power forward Wendel Clark out of free agency.  Clark's Hawk career lasted all of 13 games.  He was washed-up, broken and awful.  The Hawks bought themselves out of Clark's $1.7M deal just 107 days into the agreement and Clark remained on the sidelines until he was signed by the Maple Leafs in January for one last brief curtain call with the franchise he made his name before retiring at season's end.  Clark is currently an ambassador for the Leafs' organization, much like Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Tony Esposito and Denis Savard are for the Hawks.

-- Four years ago today Dale Tallon signed his first big free agent coming out of the lockout, defenseman Adrian Aucoin agreed to a 4-year, $16 million contract.

Oilers no longer interested in Dany Heatley  NHL.com

USA, Germany pegged to open 2010 IIHF World Championships at 76,000 seat Stadiumin Gelsenkirchen, Germany.  They're hoping to set the attendance record for hockey, currently held by East Lansing, Michigan's Spartan Stadium, which hosted 74,544 fans for a Michigan State-Michigan Wolverines NCAA hockey game on October 6, 2001.  The NHL record was set two years back in Buffalo, 71,217, on January 1, 2008 for the first Winter Classic game with the Sabres hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, with a planned set up for 75,976 spectators, will be the venue for the U.S-Germany game on May 7, 2010, and will kick-off the annual two-week long International Men's Ice Hockey tournament.  The Veltins-Arena is an indoor facility much like University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.  2009-10 is a big year for outdoor/stadium hockey events.  The 2010 Frozen Four (NCAA Finals) will take place at Ford Field in downtown Detroit.  Organizers are planning to set Ford Field up for just under 70,000.  The Swedish Elite League is looking to stage an outdoor game in late December.  The National Hockey League's Winter Classic III takes place at Fenway Park in Boston on New Years Day 2010.  The Univesity of Wisconsin and Michigan will meet at the 80,321 seat Camp Randall Stadium in Madison on February 6, 2010.  Obviously, should the two universities pack Camp Randall at or close to capacity, they'd set the new attendance record before the folks in Germany even get the opportunity.

Here's the complete 2010 IIHF World Championships schedule.  For those of you who like to get a jump on these things.

Slovakia's 2010 Olympic Team Summer Camp opens Tuesday in Bratislava  IIHF.com
- Obviously Marian Hossa won't participate.  His brother Marcel will.  Tomas Kopecky, Marian Gaborik, ZIGGY PALFFY, Zdeno Chara, JOZEF STUMPEL, Marek Svatos, former Hawk Michal Handzus, Pavol Demitra, Miroslav Satan, Lubos Bartecko and Richad Zednik headline the Slovak roster.  Jaroslav Halak and Peter Budaj are the goaltenders.  Atlanta Thrasher and former Chicago Wolves' defenseman Boris Valabik is on the preliminary roster, as are Andrej Meszaros, Sabres' blue liner Andrej Sekera, Lubomir Visnovsky and Milan Jurcina of the Washington Capitals round out the team on the blue line.

Cracks begin to show in Reinsdorf bid  James Mirtle, From the Rink
- The Arizona Republic reports a condition of Jerry Reinsdorf's bid would call for the City of Glendale to pay Reinsdorf $15 million for each year the Coyotes lost money after the fifth year of operations, or allow the team to be sold and moved out of Glendale unconditionally.  Former Coyotes' owner Jerry Moyes isn't supportive of the Reinsdorf deal, and is still favoring Jim Balsillie's bid.

-- Mike Kiley over at ChicagoNow.com had an interesting article last week about NASCAR embracing the "blogosphere" and how the Blackhawks and the NHL in general should take note.  We really need to have Mike on the radio show to discuss this.  He's got some good points in here I agree with, but I think a lot of people are missing the bigger picture, and it's not necessarily something that will make serious bloggers, or pundits shall we say, particularly happy.  There's an emerging self-righteousness amongst a segment of bloggers, enough to organize conferences hoisting their need for self-relevancy on a platform high enough they hope someone might just pay attention to them, and others who simply boast a quizzical expectation of acceptance in a field they have little or no background, education or skills.  I fall somewhere in the middle.  Sure I take what I do somewhat seriously, and would like the readers to do the same, but I'm not looking for anything extra from anyone such as the Blackhawks and have no lust for acknowledgement or acceptance into a fraternity I very may well not belong under any circumstances.  It's not that I wouldn't welcome the opportunity,  I would, should the situation and circumstances suit me, but I'm not holding my breath either.  However, I'd argue with anyone who says the Blackhawks or the league "doesn't need the 'blogging' community."  That's wrong.  It's a tool they should be utilizing.  And I'm so disappointed in someone like John McDonough, supposedly so 'cutting edge', smart and marketing savvy, even he, a man who hungers to control everything he touches, still doesn't have a clue on how to use this medium to his advantage.

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Hossa contract under NHL investigation  Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Sun

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly:

“We’re trying to understand how it was negotiated and whether the intent and effect is to circumvent the cap.”

Jeez Bill.  Ya think?

"This was the first of the long-term contracts that took a player out past the age 40 and the value of the contract in its ‘out years’ was dramatically lower than its early years.

“We want to know if the possibility of player retirement was ever discussed or even contemplated.”

A maximum fine of $5 million and loss of draft picks could be awaiting the Blackhawks should the NHL investigation prove the Blackhawks discussed the possibility of Hossa retiring before the end of the 12-year contract.  The Blackhawks are not at risk of losing the player, but depending on which, and how many, draft picks the team would potentially lose, the long-term effects could be just as devastating.

In his welcoming press conference at the United Center on July 16, Hossa chuckled when asked if he planned to play until he turned 42, the age Hossa will be at the end of his 12 year contract.

Don't expect much to come out of this now.  But you can bet the league will dig their heels and make this a focal point of CBA negotiations in the summer of 2012.  And the Blackhawks should make the most of Hossa's arithmetic mean while they can, because in the next collective bargaining agreement anticipate the player's yearly salary to be the number counted against the cap.