Toews, Kane speak for first time since reveal of internal investigation
It’s the duo’s first comments since Tuesday’s revelation.
For the first time since Tuesday’s public revelation of the Chicago Blackhawks’ internal investigation into sexual assault allegations against video coach Brad Aldrich, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane spoke publicly following Wednesday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Toews and Kane are the only members of the current Blackhawks roster who were on the team in 2010 when the alleged assault reportedly took place.
Kane remains in COVID protocol and was not at the United Center on Wednesday night, instead speaking to the media on a Zoom call:
Kane says he didn't know about the sexual assault and didn't even know John Doe was Beach until today.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) October 28, 2021
Kane: "Very courageous for (Beach) to come out and let his name be known to the world after everything he went to. ... Wish back then we could have done some different things, knew about some different things, maybe we could have helped him."
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) October 28, 2021
Kane was also asked about the front office moves made by the Blackhawks, which included the “stepping aside” of president of hockey operations and general manager Stan Bowman, with whom Kane lived during the early stages of his career:
Patrick Kane called the Bowman and MacIsaac ousters "necessary moves" and "the right moves." He also called Bowman "a great man who did a lot of things for me personally."
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) October 28, 2021
Kane ended by extending an offer to speak with Beach in the future:
Patrick Kane said he doesn't know if Beach wants to talk to him, but he'd like to talk to Beach if he's willing and tell him he's sorry he didn't know and do more.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) October 28, 2021
Toews was up next, speaking from the United Center but still via Zoom after he was cleared from COVID protocol shortly before Wednesday’s game:
"Hindsight is 20/20. We wish we could've done something differently, myself included... I feel a ton for what Kyle went through and what he's dealing with at this point."
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) October 28, 2021
Toews: "Winning the Stanley Cup that year is beside the point. Whether we win or lose ... we wish we could take it back and it never happened and young players didn't have to deal with a situation like that."
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) October 28, 2021
Here’s the comment from Toews that will probably be getting the most attention for the next 24 hours:
Jonathan Toews: "To me, Stan and Al...they're not directly complicit in the activites that happened."
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) October 28, 2021
"People like Al and Stan have made coming to the Blackhawks...one of the special places to play hockey. I have a ton of respect for them as people."
Coach Jeremy Colliton also spoke on Wednesday night and offered an amendment to what he said earlier in the day:
Jeremy Colliton leads postgame by addressing his interview this morning.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) October 28, 2021
"I made a mistake in not being more specific about my sympathy and admiration for the courage of the victims." https://t.co/zR3u0j7zWH
Game recap coming in the morning.
