Evander Kane tracksuit saga

[jschick88]

Ken Wiebe ‏@WiebeSunSports 27 seconds ago
Craig Oster, agent for #NHLJets LW Evander Kane, says he will comment on the situation on Friday afternoon

[Enoch Root]

Of all the crap I've read on message boards over the years, I think calling this bullying might take the cake.

Society has an obligation to its citizens, to treat them fairly, to respect them equally, and for the strong to protect the weak, etc.

A hockey team is NOT a society. You are not born into it. It owes you nothing. It is a PRIVILEGE to be a part of it, and with that privilege comes responsibility. There are rules and expectations because the team has to do whatever it can to continue to perform optimally. And to ensure that, there are internal controls. Players who don't abide by them face consequences. And the team NEEDS those rules. They NEED to function at an optimum level. If a player doesn't want to live up to the rules, they are free to forego their multi-million dollar salary and disappear into society, where they will be protected from such harsh and unreasonable treatment.

This is not hazing. There was no racial slander or picking on the weak. There was no physical or mental abuse.

This is a privileged and elite (within their sphere) group that needs to remind its members that the group requires certain standards in order to function properly. All members are free to leave if they don't accept the terms.

[Dr. Doom]

OMG I can't believe someone is calling the tracksuit incident bullying.

COMEDY if anyone truly think that's an example of bullying... hahaha

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

If there wasn't a salary cap Boston would not have traded Seguin, Chiarelli said as much. To me that's a salary cap move.

Winnipeg isn't even in salary cap trouble and they want to get rid of Kane.

I don't see the comparison.

I don't necessarily disagree, but if he was more professional, if his compete level was higher, if they didn't need to "babysit" him, etc. Seguin is still a Bruin. So while the Bruins hands may have been forced to make a move, his off-ice issues were the reason he was the one sent packing.

I mean the headlines in Boston was "Problem child traded" and not "Cap forces Seguin out." So I don't agree it was a strictly salary cap move and I do think there's a valid, if not 100% accurate, comparison between the two players.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by jschick88

Ken Wiebe ‏@WiebeSunSports 27 seconds ago
Craig Oster, agent for #NHLJets LW Evander Kane, says he will comment on the situation on Friday afternoon

Because when agents speak publicly, it always gets better.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Dr. Doom

OMG I can't believe someone is calling the tracksuit incident bullying.

COMEDY if anyone truly think that's an example of bullying... hahaha

Aaron Ward basically said on Sportscentre that it is a common way of sending a teammate a message. Said it happened to him, and said he's done it to others.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Because when agents speak publicly, it always gets better.

I assumed it meant Kane will comment.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

I assumed it meant Kane will comment.

That would be way less fun, but makes way more sense.

[Dr. Doom]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Aaron Ward basically said on Sportscentre that it is a common way of sending a teammate a message. Said it happened to him, and said he's done it to others.

The same Ward that predicted the Flames to make the playoffs!
Count me in!

[Mattman]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Aaron Ward basically said on Sportscentre that it is a common way of sending a teammate a message. Said it happened to him, and said he's done it to others.

[SuperMatt18]

Even Elliot Friedman just mentioned on the Fan960 that it's hard to say whether it's bullying or not and its something thats been discussed a lot today.

Maybe it is just me but throwing a guys clothes in the shower when he is not even there and is getting treatment in the treatment room is pretty childish and stupid if you ask me.

Kane didn't handle it well at all either but IMO it's not something that should just be written off as acceptable.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by united

Players work out after midday meetings. Usually very light and low impact but they still change.

Sure, yes. But it's not adequate clothing for the meeting. EK going from tracksuit to workout clothes when the tracksuit wasn't adequate for the meeting doesn't make sense.

But it's not an important point. Ignore me. Carry on.

[Racki]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Aaron Ward basically said on Sportscentre that it is a common way of sending a teammate a message. Said it happened to him, and said he's done it to others.

Rhett Warrener said the same thing this morning. It's commonplace. If you don't wear a suit when you're supposed to you this is the standard punishment.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Of all the crap I've read on message boards over the years, I think calling this bullying might take the cake.

Society has an obligation to its citizens, to treat them fairly, to respect them equally, and for the strong to protect the weak, etc.

A hockey team is NOT a society. You are not born into it. It owes you nothing. It is a PRIVILEGE to be a part of it, and with that privilege comes responsibility. There are rules and expectations because the team has to do whatever it can to continue to perform optimally. And to ensure that, there are internal controls. Players who don't abide by them face consequences. And the team NEEDS those rules. They NEED to function at an optimum level. If a player doesn't want to live up to the rules, they are free to forego their multi-million dollar salary and disappear into society, where they will be protected from such harsh and unreasonable treatment.

This is not hazing. There was no racial slander or picking on the weak. There was no physical or mental abuse.

This is a privileged and elite (within their sphere) group that needs to remind its members that the group requires certain standards in order to function properly. All members are free to leave if they don't accept the terms.

Thank you for this post, i was getting upset. "Bullying" implies that there was an innocent victim, which doesn't apply in this case. This is EVANDER KANE we are talking about people-he makes Dion Phaneuf and Hunter Shinkaruk look like Ned Flanders (I know people who have met him).
When you are dealing with someone like Kane, who doesn't appreciate or respect ANYTHING or ANYBODY, you have to communicate down to him in a way he will understand- talking and reasoning with him is a waste of time. I applaud Buff's actions, because it sends out the message that if you act like a b--ch, a real man will come along and treat you accordingly. If you disrespect people, people will disrespect you, and that's even a good message for the kids who look up to Buff.

[blankall]

Honestly, I found Kane's antics a bit funny before, as I assumed there was a level of self-mocking there.

If he takes himself this seriously though, he just looks like a fool. Honestly, he signed a contract that included dress codes and showing up for games and practices. His doushy outfit got wet. Boo hoo.

[mikeecho]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

And just because it is "Accepted" doesn't make it right.

IMO actions like this and hazing are something that all professional sports need to take more seriously.

The NHL likes to promote and be a part of #RightToPlay but then in these locker rooms and during the game slurs like "homo" or "fag" are still accepted.

They also like to promote things like mental health awareness, but if somebody maybe takes offense to an action like this, or something that goes on in the change room and takes it personally they are a quitter or a #####.

Then they like to have athletes go to schools and say that bullying is bad, but accept actions like these that is clearly one person picking on another (whether he deserved it or not is irrelevant).

So if a kid at a middle school throws a kids clothes in the shower at a Winnipeg Middle School gym class tomorrow cause the kid broke a rule its fine because Byfuglien did it and he was praised as a great leader.

My point is that the action that was taken out here was bullying, and if we want the league to be serious as role models etc then we shouldn't be lauding that action as him being a great leader.

A real great leader and a good organization wouldn't have let it get to this point and it would have been handled in a much more professional manor.

Kane is at fault for being a ###### but Byfuglien is also at fault for his actions too, and the team is at fault for not punishing Kane themselves if he broke a rule and for letting it get to his point to start with.

I'm going to flip the script here. I'd suggest that there is equally as much chance that Kane is the bully and the kids in the schoolyard have finally had enough, gave him a solid shot and now Kane has his tail between his legs.

Kinda like in Christmas Story when Ralph has enough and pummels the bully. Everyone has a breaking point.

What Buff did was not the best way to handle it, but I do know for a fact that the Jets organization has gone way beyond what most organizations would have done to try and help Kane get himself together and a lot of it has never been reported on. I'd venture so far as to say they have accommodated him so much that it's caused frustration for some the other players and that has been the teams biggest failure.

[J epworth]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Thank you for this post, i was getting upset. "Bullying" implies that there was an innocent victim, which doesn't apply in this case. This is EVANDER KANE we are talking about people-he makes Dion Phaneuf and Hunter Shinkaruk look like Ned Flanders (I know people who have met him).
When you are dealing with someone like Kane, who doesn't appreciate or respect ANYTHING or ANYBODY, you have to communicate down to him in a way he will understand- talking and reasoning with him is a waste of time. I applaud Buff's actions, because it sends out the message that if you act like a b--ch, a real man will come along and treat you accordingly. If you disrespect people, people will disrespect you, and that's even a good message for the kids who look up to Buff.

I don't know, I've met him a few times in party situations, you know, the ideal spot for a doucchebag to be an entitled *** to people, and he seems totally like a normal hockey guy. My girlfriend is friends with his best friend from childhood and has the same impression I have when I met him, he's a hockey guy but he's no more of a prick than any other talented hockey player is. Seemed to me like a pretty nice guy actually. So totally a small sample size on my part, but I trust my girlfriends judgement and if she thinks he's a good guy, he's probably a good guy (She worked for the London Knights for a while in University so she knows the difference between an entitled ***, aka Zac Rinaldo, Pat Kane and Michael Del Zotto, and a hockey player who is genuinely a good guy like Nazem Kadri).

[Mony]

A lot of you seem to be bringing up Hunter Shinkaruk as having character problems in this thread, and while we are talking about Evander Kane here - is there a story I'm missing on Shinkaruk? He was born in Calgary so I'm sure at least some of you have some kind of experience with him. I've heard he's a bit of a prick but can anyone throw me an example? Genuinely curious.

[Fan in Exile]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Thank you for this post, i was getting upset. "Bullying" implies that there was an innocent victim, which doesn't apply in this case. This is EVANDER KANE we are talking about people-he makes Dion Phaneuf and Hunter Shinkaruk look like Ned Flanders (I know people who have met him).
When you are dealing with someone like Kane, who doesn't appreciate or respect ANYTHING or ANYBODY, you have to communicate down to him in a way he will understand- talking and reasoning with him is a waste of time. I applaud Buff's actions, because it sends out the message that if you act like a b--ch, a real man will come along and treat you accordingly. If you disrespect people, people will disrespect you, and that's even a good message for the kids who look up to Buff.

SuperMatt may be overstating the seriousness of throwing Kane's clothes in the shower but his point of view is far more reasonable than making Byfuglien a hero for doing it. It looks like this is part of a pattern. Kane probably brought much of it on himself but whether it's a sports team, a classroom, or a workplace, things can quickly reach a tipping point where a guy rightly or wrongly is constantly the butt of other guys' pranks, lessons, et cetera. When I look at the kids that got bullied growing up, it ends up becoming a vicious circle. And I think that's what Matt's saying about this situation. He certainly isn't painting Kane as a saint or an innocent victim, just suggesting that contrary to jock logic, throwing his clothes in the shower did not turn out to be a smart move. Go figure.

A smart management/leadership group would not have let things get to this point as the Jets are spiraling out of a playoff spot that seemed fairly secure just two weeks ago.

[Beatle17]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I am kind of interested to hear what the dress code is for morning skate.

I get suits at game time, but from most morning skates I have seen it is just casual clothes that the players wear when showing up.

Maybe, just maybe, the team has addressed these issues with him numerous times and he just ignored them, thinking what can they do to me (see I can make assumptions also) and his teammates have finally have had enough. Maybe, just maybe, the leadership group has talked to him and he hasn't adapted and they had enough with a guy who doesn't want to follow team rules. Remember that Wheeler called him out before the season even started.