Kane felt Jets didn't have his back: THN interview

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Kane felt Jets didn't have his back: THN interview"

Gwendolyn Ashlynn Ferguson
6 years ago
Views:

1 Winnipeg Free Press html Kane felt Jets didn't have his back: THN interview By: Tim Campbell Buffalo Sabres left-winger Evander Kane isn t finished with Winnipeg quite yet. Kane gave a recent interview The Hockey News writer Ken Campbell that will be published today in the magazine in which he aired numerous grievances with Winnipeg and its Jets. The 24-year-old Vancouver native was traded to Buffalo by the Jets last February after playing three-plus seasons in the Manitoba capital. Kane confirmed in the story what was eventually known, but not before he was traded -- each summer he spent as a member of the Jets, he asked for a trade, though when asked about it while he was in Winnipeg, he talked around it or inferred denying it. "Something I asked for a long time finally came to fruition," Kane said in the THN interview. "Yeah, I asked for a trade every off-season in Winnipeg." To be fair, the Jets also obfuscated on the trade-request matter back then. In his story, Campbell writes: "Truth is, though, Kane was never a good fit in Winnipeg, even in his first season there where he scored 30 goals... Every unpaid traffic ticket, every rumour about him skipping out on restaurant bills and having his girlfriend with him on the road, every time he posed for pictures with a wad of money attached to his ear, every time he shaved YMCMB into his scalp because a major cause celebre in the league s smallest market." Why was that? Kane believes racism is relevant to his story, a charge he first leveled more than two years ago in an interview with THN. "There are lots of guys I could point to that everybody knows publicly who have done a lot worse or been accused of doing a lot worse things than I have," Kane said in the interview. "But they don t look like me. They don t look like me. "Jealousy is a disease. It really is." On the race question, Campbell made a broad, combined reference to both the hockey world and Winnipeg "where guys like Thomas Steen are heroes, and it s a cauldron of narrow attitudes that Kane found a little difficult to handle." "I just didn t feel as though (the Jets) had my back at all," Kane said. "It would have been so simple to just squash it and put it to bed. It just became kind of a big deal.

2 "Common sense would dictate that I can afford a bill at a restaurant no matter what it is. There d be no reason for me to do that. If you just default to your common sense, I think at the end of the day you ll realize how ridiculous, how silly and how moronic it really sounded." For the THN, the Jets, through GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, declined to comment. Kane repeated his charge that the team and his teammates "didn t have his back." "I was playing with a separated shoulder for a year and a half," Kane said. "I had a broken ankle and a broken hand all at the same time. It wasn t me telling myself I had a torn labrum. It was the team doctor on the Winnipeg Jets telling me, You need surgery, and that s the only way you re going to get fixed. You have a broken ankle. You have a broken hand. I m sacrificing my body playing through pain, doing everything I can to help that team win with the feeling knowing guys don t have my back. I feel the organization doesn t have my back, and you feel unappreciated." The Free Press obtained a copy of the THN story just before Paul Maurice s press conference today, but after player interviews were finished for the day. The Jets coach responded to Kane s accusations about "not having his back," and being unappreciated. "I m sorry he felt that way," Maurice said. "I certainly appreciated him. He did play with a lot of injuries. But if you can find me a player I ve ever coached where I came out and said, Boy this guy s playing with a broken ankle and I really appreciate it, I ve never said that. I d never talk about a guy s injury. "We ve got guys that played with that. And Evander played hurt. He had a torn labrum and played a year on it. That was his choice to have surgery or not. But he played on it. "That s a lot of pain. He played through an awful lot of pain and we really appreciated it. But I m not coming out here and giving you a list of injuries of guys that are playing with them, because they re playing with them. "There s no sense drawing targets on backs. I m sorry he felt that way. I certainly appreciated him playing through those injuries." THN s story also includes much about Kane s new start in Buffalo and how his outgoing personality will fit there. Jets play some sloppy hockey, but escape with 2 points By: Tim Campbell If you went to the Winnipeg Jets house for Sunday dinner, sorry about that fly in the soup and they didn t mean to make such a mess of the souffle, but hey, wasn t that main course a winner?

3 After Minnesota s Jason Zucker scored 10 seconds into the game (the fly), the Jets rocketed back for the next five goals before the game was 25 minutes old (main course), then held on through a tense finish (souffle) for a 5-4 victory over the Wild at the MTS Centre. "It wasn t pretty but we got it done," said Jets centre Bryan Little, who answered Zucker s goal in 72 seconds and then helped his team win the Central Division battle to pull even with the Wild at Zucker undressed Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba for the quick strike, but the home team was ahead after Little and captain Andrew Ladd scored before the four-minute mark. A goal by rookie Nikolaj Ehlers, then two by veteran Drew Stafford the first chasing Minnesota starter Darcy Kuemper gave the game the looks of a laugher. But the Wild had a power-play marker from captain Mikko Koivu, then goals by Justin Fontaine and Zach Parise to make for a tight final 10 minutes that included a Minnesota power play with 2:03 to go. "That s a formula for a winning team, you kind of let those go," Stafford said about Zucker s opening goal. "As frustrating as it is to have a start like that, you have to respond and we did. Then we let them off the hook a little when it was 5-1. "That s habits that we still have to learn. It s still early in the season. We ll learn how to play the right way when we have a lead like that. For us to finish it off the way we did, it s all good." Streak goes on Jets right-winger Blake Wheeler assisted on the early goals by Little and Ladd to extend his points streak to eight games. The run, four goals and seven assists, is a franchise record and is the best assists and points streak going today in the NHL. Front-to-back style aside, Wheeler saw the silver lining after the victory. "You have to give them a lot of credit," he said. "They re on a back-to-back and down 5-1 and they kept their foot on the gas. It s never over in this league. It s a good lesson to learn early on." Leading is hard Clearly the Jets didn t play with the same swiftness and puck movement after they got ahead 5-1. "You have a tendency to take a breath and I think that s what happened," Ladd said. "We maybe stopped pressuring up ice and moving our feet and allowed them to get their game going a bit. "That kind of thing happens, but at the end of the day, you like the way we handled that last five minutes, you take the two points and go. The bench was great. There was no panic on the bench. I think we felt in control of the game still." Penalty issue

4 When the Jets hit bumps in the road, you can often trace it to a penalty or penalties. The NHL s most short-handed team last season took one in the second period that coach Paul Maurice didn t like at all an elbowing call on Alex Burmistrov and thought it changed the game s flow. "I don t think it was that difficult," Maurice said about playing with the 5-1 lead. "We took a penalty we can t take and it s a nice shot (for Koivu s goal). "The next two (goals) for me are fairly simple plays we have to make that we didn t. But you ve got to learn, and we will learn, over the course of the year on how to move our legs." Homestand continues Now at in this season-long six-game homestand, the Jets get the Los Angeles Kings next. That game is Tuesday night at the MTS Centre and will be followed by the finale Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Hutchinson unfazed by Wild s blinding-fast goal Red light goes on 10 seconds into game, but Jets goalie doesn t blink By: Ed Tait He was beaten 10 seconds into the game, with the final notes of O Canada just fading from the MTS Centre rafters. But by night s end, Michael Hutchinson had backstopped his Winnipeg Jets to a mistake-filled W that won t include many if any clips on his personal highlight reel. All that said, the Jets netminder is now 3-0 with a goals-against average of 2.00 and a save percentage of.935 after Sunday s 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild. A Picasso, it was not. But as hockey types will insist, a win is a win is a win even if it means giving up a 5-1 lead, and even if it means getting scored on 10 seconds into the game, when Justin Fontaine waltzed around Jacob Trouba and beat Hutchinson. It was two points, even if it made the 15,294 in attendance squirm at the start and the finish. "It s not the start we were looking for, but those things happen," said Hutchinson, who kicked out 26 of 30 shots. "They don t happen too often during the year, but we re going to have our share of quick goals during the year. We responded amazing. You can do one of two things; forget it real quick and come back out like we did or really let it get to you and then it s going to be a long night. "They got pretty lucky goals tonight where the puck bounced their way. It s one of those things where we were in such good control of the game and were playing so well, I don t think anybody was nervous when the puck started bouncing their way. We just kept working hard and even

5 when we were (short-handed late in the game), I was still pretty confident we were going to get the two points." Maybe so, but that s definitely a rose-coloured perspective that glosses over what happened near the end of a contest that was hardly a goaltenders clinic. The Jets were outshot 12-6 in the final period and, with Dustin Byfuglien in the box for an illadvised boarding penalty with 2:03 left, were down a man as the Wild pulled the goalie and tried to complete the rally. This after Minnesota s particularly ugly fourth goal, which featured Zach Parise stripping the puck from Trouba behind the net and then banking a shot off Mark Stuart s skate behind Hutchinson. "You ve just got to forget it real quick," said Hutchinson on how he re-set mentally after that goal. "I ve been playing goal for so long you ve got to learn to forget those breaks. It s one of those things you can look over on video and beat yourself up over the next day or the day after. But during the game you ve just got to forget it. "The only thing that mattered was getting the two points. That s one thing goaltending in this league can do you can win some games 2-1 or 1-0. Or 5-4. And at the end of the day, two points is two points." Winnipeg Sun Too close for comfort for Jets BY KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN It would have been natural for Drew Stafford to be left scratching his head a bit when head coach Paul Maurice revealed his plan to him at the end of training camp. After all, Stafford was a high-priority free agent signing for the Winnipeg Jets this past summer and had spent the majority of his time bouncing between the top-two lines last season after coming over in the blockbuster deal with the Buffalo Sabres. The move to the Jets had rejuvenated Stafford, as the versatile winger chipped in nine goals and 19 points in 26 games before adding a goal and two points in the playoffs against the Anaheim Ducks. Most observers, myself included, saw Stafford starting the season either riding shotgun with Bryan Little and Andrew Ladd or with Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler after signing a twoyear extension worth $4.35 million per season, rather than testing the waters of unrestricted free agency. But Maurice had other plans and while it remains early, the idea of playing Stafford with Adam Lowry and Alex Burmistrov has worked out very well.

6 Through eight games, Stafford leads the Jets with five goals and his seven points is second only to Wheeler, who chipped in a pair of assists to extend his point streak to a franchise-record eight games to start the season. Clearly, Stafford's production hasn't dropped off, despite being used in more of a defensive role. On Sunday, Stafford scored two more goals, including the game-winner, as the Jets earned a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild at the MTS Centre in a game that ended up being closer than it needed to. I've been a little bit fortunate, with a couple good bounces and a couple good breaks, said Stafford. But it's all about getting pucks to the net. Getting shots through and trying to generate as much as I can. The Jets, who improved to overall, continue this six-game homestand on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings. Stafford has a 31-goal season on his resume and hit 20-plus on two other occasions, but his numbers dipped the last few seasons with the Sabres before he regained his scoring touch with the Jets. But Maurice sees Stafford as more than just a one-dimensional player. He's been outstanding, said Maurice. He's found what will make a player very, valuable. A guy who has the ability to put pucks in the net, but to play in that shutdown role and still produce. He's got a real high number for that role, in terms of the goals that he's scored and he hasn't cheated anything to have any of that happen for him. Stafford's strong start isn't a surprise to the Jets captain. He's probably in a different role than he has been before, but to his credit, he's embraced it, said Ladd. And he still has that offence. He takes care of the defensive side of the puck first and he still gets those chances. Obviously, he's a talented guy that can put the puck in the net too. The Jets found themselves down 1-0 just 10 seconds into the contest as Jason Zucker danced around Jacob Trouba and beat Michael Hutchinson high to the glove side. But rather than stand around in disarray, the Jets got goals two minutes and five seconds apart from Bryan Little and Andrew Ladd and built a two-goal cushion at 12:12 of the opening period when Nikolaj Ehlers wired home a shot on a two-on-one rush with Scheifele. Stafford chased Wild backup Darcy Kuemper just 51 seconds into the second period on a long wrister, then welcomed Devan Dubnyk with a goal at 4:34 to make it 5-1. The Wild fought back with goals from Mikko Koivu (on the power play), Justin Fontaine (on a rebound) and Zach Parise (from behind the goal line) to make things interesting but that was as close as they would come.

7 This was probably the best efforts of the season for the top trio of Ladd, Little and Wheeler but once again, the Jets got at least a goal from each of their top-three lines. It's been said plenty of times since the Jets returned, but this club needs balance if they want to return to the playoffs and go on any sort of a run. That's part of the reason Maurice gave Stafford new linemates. We're going to be relied on for a bit of secondary scoring. So far, so good, said Stafford. As long as we're winning, that's all that matters to me. Jets build lead, hang on to win BY KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN In what was another rather unpredictable meeting, one thing that should not have been a surprise was the margin of victory. For the ninth time in the past 11 meetings between the Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild, one measly goal was the only thing separating these two Central Division rivals. The Jets earned a 5-4 decision on Sunday, but it looked for a long time like it was going to be a laugher after the home side built a 5-1 advantage less than five minutes into the second period. We took a penalty that we can't take at 5-1, said Jets head coach Paul Maurice, referring to an elbowing minor in the offensive zone to Alex Burmistrov that set the stage for Mikko Koivu's power-play marker. But the Wild made things interesting, scoring twice in 38 seconds during the second period and made it a one-goal deficit midway through the third period after Zach Parise banked his shot off the skate of Jets defenceman Mark Stuart from behind the net. The Jets even had to kill off a boarding minor to Dustin Byfuglien with just over two minutes left in regulation time. It certainly wasn't pretty, but at the end of the day, the Jets earned a clean win against a Central Division opponent and that was their biggest takeaway. It really doesn't matter if you win 5-1 or 5-4, it's those two points that matter, said Jets captain Andrew Ladd, who had a goal and an assist. ESPN.com Morning 3-on-3: Central Divison just keeps getting tougher HOT OR NOT

8 Drew Stafford, Winnipeg Jets Stafford scored a pair of goals in the Jets' win over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday and now has a team-leading five goals on the season. Darcy Kuemper, Minnesota Wild Kuemper allowed four goals on just 18 shots before being pulled in the second period of the loss to the Jets. Just how strong is the Central Division? Pierre LeBrun@Real_ESPNLeBrun: Winnipeg's 5-4 win Sunday over Minnesota, a game in which the Wild were down 5-1 and made it interesting, was just another night in the crazy Central Division. Consider this: Teams in the division are overall, and the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks are sixth in the division with a record. Only three points separate first-place Nashville (6-1-1) from the Blackhawks. And let's not count out the last-place Colorado Avalanche (2-4-1) just yet, though the Avs have their work cut out if they want to keep pace with the rest of this group. Dallas (6-2-0), Winnipeg (5-2-1), St. Louis (5-2-1) and Minnesota (5-2-1) have all gotten off to solid starts. You can see how some think the Central, easily the NHL's toughest division, might send five teams to the playoffs this season for the third year in a row. Scott Burnside@ESPN_Burnside: Pierre, you are a very wise man for the first thing on a Monday morning. Having talked to a number of Central Division GMs and scouts in recent days, they say it's white-knuckle time pretty much all the time in that division. Which makes you wonder how teams like Chicago (sans Duncan Keith for a month or so due to a knee injury, plus the handful of regulars dispatched in the offseason) and St. Louis (ravaged by injury, most recently an ankle for Jaden Schwartz) are going to keep pace. Even if the Avs are the doormats they appear to be so far, it still suggests at least one very good Central team is going to miss the playoffs, assuming we get five in from the Central for the third straight season. In short, big tests coming up for Chicago and St. Louis as the standings reinforce the challenge of staying healthy in hockey's toughest division. Joe McDonald@CraigCustance: Scotty, you mentioned the injuries in Chicago and St. Louis, but Joe is right about Dubnyk and Minnesota. There is no margin for error in the Central Division, and the Wild need a healthy and effective Dubnyk over the course of the season. The Wild play McDavid and the Oilers at home on Tuesday, and it'll be a big relief for Wild fans if Dubnyk is out there playing well. CBC.ca Drew Stafford notches winner as Jets hang on to beat Wild Winnipeg nearly blows 5-1 lead By Adam Wazny, The Canadian Press Drew Stafford's starting to become one of his coach's most relied upon players.

9 Stafford's second goal of the second period turned out to be the difference as the Winnipeg Jets held off a late Minnesota comeback and beat the visiting Wild 5-4 on Sunday. Stafford snapped a shot from the top of the faceoff circle past goaltender Darcy Kuemper 51 seconds into the second period for a three-goal lead. Kuemper was replaced by Devan Dubnyk, who saw Stafford add his second of the game at the 4:34 mark of the period to make it 5-1 Winnipeg. 'He's found that [quality] that will make a player very, very valuable, a guy who has the ability to put pucks in the net...' - Jets head coach Paul Maurice on forward Drew Stafford The 29-year-old forward has a team-leading five goals this season and his play in the early part of the year is drawing praise from head coach Paul Maurice. "Outstanding," Maurice said when asked about Stafford's contributions. "He's found that [quality] that will make a player very, very valuable, a guy who has the ability to put pucks in the net, to play in that role. "He hasn't cheated anything for that [success]." Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little and Nikolaj Ehlers had the other goals for the Jets (5-2-1). Ladd and Little each added an assist while Blake Wheeler had two helpers to extend his points streak to start a season to eight games, setting a new franchise record. Lesson learned Stafford said while the win was good, Sunday's game can be a lesson for the Jets. Winnipeg's offensive attack is based on speed, and playing with the advantage of a four-goal lead can be tough to stay in the game mentally. "When they slow the game down and take the life out of it, it's hard as the team in the lead to keep that pace and keep your foot on the gas, especially when the score is that high," Stafford said. "We let them off the hook for a little bit and they were able to turn it around on us but at the same time, we were able to finish it off so it's all good." Jets goaltender Michael Hutchinson stopped 26 shots for his third win this season. Jason Zucker, Mikko Koivu, Justin Fontaine and Zach Parise scored for Minnesota (5-2-1). Parise said the Wild just couldn't match Winnipeg's speed in the first 25 minutes of the game. "It felt like they were coming at us a hundred miles-per hour through the neutral zone and we were flat-footed," he said. "They did a good job of jumping [defencemen] into the rush, too, so it just put us on our heels." Kuemper allowed four goals on 18 shots. After Winnipeg made it 5-1 and chased him, Minnesota found some life on a power-play goal from Koivu and a Fontaine goal 38 seconds later. Parise made it a one-goal game midway through the third.

10 Dubnyk said despite being down 5-1 in the second, the Wild felt they had enough time to crawl back into the game and at least get a point. "We're just a group that does that," he said. "We stay in every single game and we're not willing to throw games away or give up on two points." Dubnyk made 14 saves on 15 shots in relief.

March 18, You know, we laid it on the line, but that's just kind of how it went.

March 18, You know, we laid it on the line, but that's just kind of how it went. March 18, 2016 Minnesota 4 Ohio State 2 An interview with: Ohio State Coach Steve Rohlik Nick Schilkey THE MODERATOR: First, we have Ohio State's Nick Schilkey and head coach Steve Rohlik. Coach, if you'd