Kane: Kesler is a good guy
Patrick Kane thinks Ryan Kesler is a good guy.
What in the name of Dino Ciccarelli is going on?
So much for old-time hockey, eh? You wouldn't have heard Denis Savard call Ciccarelli a good guy 25 years ago when the Hawks-North Stars rivalry was at its peak on the hatred scale.
But things change and today there just isn't the same level of dislike among teams in the NHL. The players all make a lot of money, they share agents and are union brothers.
Kane got to know the Canucks' Kesler over the last few weeks as teammates on the U.S. Olympic hockey team, seeing the other side of the guy who called Andrew Ladd a coward after they fought in the last Hawks-Vancouver game on Jan. 23.
Kesler hadn't forgotten the hit he took from Ladd in last spring's playoffs that left him with a broken nose.
"He's a good guy," Kane said following Friday's morning skate. "All hockey guys are like that off the ice. It seems like we all get along off the ice, but on the ice it's just another rivalry and a different story.
"I'm sure it will be the same way playing against him as it was before. That's the way you play hockey. Me and (Jonathan) Toews were chirping at each other on the ice when we played Canada. I sat next to (Kesler) in the locker room. I know him a bit now and he seems like an all right guy. At the same time we're enemies now, we're on different teams and I probably don't have to see him now for another four years."
Ladd was focusing more on playing the Canucks Friday night than dealing with Kesler.
"I'm not really worried about him," Ladd said. "We haven't been playing well for the last little while ands this is a good chance to get back on track."
Kesler became annoyed when asked what he expected from Ladd.
“Not much out of the ordinary,” Kesler said. “I don’t think he’s going to take it any farther, that’s just the player he is.
“I’m not calling him a coward either. You guys like to twist my words a lot.”
But Kesler did call Ladd a coward.
“Yeah, I did, but right there I didn’t just call him that,” Kesler said to those reporters gathered around his locker on Friday morning. “He’s a hard-nosed player that plays the same every night. I’m not calling him a coward. The media always turns people’s words around. It drives me nuts.
“He broke my nose (in the playoffs), but that’s done. He fought me (in January) and what’s done is done.”
Cristobal Huet gets the start in goal for the Hawks while John Madden and Brent Sopel return from sitting out Wednesday's win over Edmonton.
He may be Patrick Kane's girl friend.
I do know for two years Kesler tried his hardest to intimidate Toews and other Hawks but They never flinched.
Then to call Ladd a coward?
He sure did some flinching and unwillingness to go with Laddie...and seeing him with his tail between his legs on the run, is gratifying...
Just because certain Hawks aren't droppin'em like the 1970s doesn't mean they can't...
Case in point, new Canuck physical addition Andrew Alberts finding out what Brent Seabrook toolbox carries...
Amazing that a diplomatic comment by Kane, clearly meant as a Positive team USA Olympic comment, can be spun into an anti-teammate support statement.
Not that long ago I saw at the United Center, tie domi and bob probert pound the tar out of each other and then have dinner together in a Chicago restaurant.
The John Ferguson days of "we wouldn't go to the dining car for breakfast because we had to walk past them in their car and the were the enemy" are gone.
The CAP and so much more star player movement has friendships from pro, junior, sharing
agents, along with family members and national teams.
So just like "huet is our playoff goalie" we are powerless to change the new NHL, where rivalries start with the opening face off and end at final horn.
What irks me is this 'tap out' business during a fight.
It's like what my dad taught me about guns - if you aim it you better be committed to killing it. Well, the same applies to fighting - if you drop the gloves it better be committed to inflicting injury on the other guy and not stopping until you do.
Nothing wrong with leaving the competition on the ice and being able to at least be civil to players on other teams off it.
I think most of us have rivalries with friends, brothers etc that foster competition as intense as any people who hate each other, just maybe without the cheap shots.
Sports aren't war, despite what some coaches, etc seem to think.
I'm glad you brought that up. I didn't think there was anything to take offense about regarding Kane's comment about Kessler. I'll bet that if Ladd and Kessler had to play on the same team they would be ok with each other. Probie and Domi having dinner together is no surprise either. What's next dogs living with cats. People think that because two players get into a scrap they become enemies for life and that's not the case. They are probably more inclined to go have a beer together.
This game shows that the Hawks don't need some goon on the team. They can play physical when they have to. I think the Canucks got to preoccupied with the rough stuff and by the time they got back to playing hockey it was too late. The Hawks did better against Luongo then Team USA did.
The crafty southpaw, Bill "Spaceman" Lee, was featured in Sports Illustrated years ago and he said something that always stuck with me. While you always want to compete to the best of your ability, you should also respect your opponent. Why? Because without your opponent, there would be no game. Sports would just be a series of eternal practices.
Having said that, me still no likey Willie "GED Wannabe" Mitchell. I only wish he would have been on the ice last night so he could have partaken in the shellacking with his mates.
Good game for you guys.
I thought after the disaster of a first period it was fairly even. Every time we would get rolling, the refs would put someone in the box.
That's the way she goes. Luongo had a bad start, and it steamrolled.
Though the goal from , Seabrook I think it was...the one that pissed him off so much, and got him off his game...was tough to swallow.
Two guys in the crease, his stick gets knocked out of his hand and is out by the faceoff dot.
I can see why he was pissed.
But its only a crime if the guys in stripes say it is...and they didn't give him a break.
But he has to calm down and play hockey. I thought a timeout would have been a good thing there...but...ce le vie.
Nice win guys...the season series ends up tied, and you guys paid us back for the 5-1 game last time in Chicago.
Hopefully we see each other in the playoffs. They tend to let more go then!
Peace
PS...never was about you guys...it was Timmy that got me going...trying to stir up excrement with that "old time hockey" stuff. Looks like the zeebs read the Daily Herald too...they sure seemed spooked by the intensity at the start!!
"Every time we would get rolling, the refs would put someone in the box."
You mean every time (well most of the time anyway) a Canuck did something stupid, the refs put them in the box.
"Two guys in the crease..."
They entered when there was a loose puck and were long gone by the time the goal was scored, but don't let that fact get in the way of you being a homer...again.
"But its only a crime if the guys in stripes say it is...and they didn't give him a break."
Lou may not have gotten many breaks, but the Canucks got away with plenty, Hossa's penalty was a retaliation to chief punk Kesler getting away with multiple slashes as just one example.
By the way, I think there is no question who the coward is now. Nice cheap shot with the butt of the stick to Ladd's face at the start of tonight's scrap. What a punk.
Touche'
Kessler looked like he had no interest in a rematch.
Just like the canucks who douched it up all game long with late/dirty hits we have your attempted justification!!
whats worse was Garrett and the boys on Sportsnet attempting to do the same!
until the canucks can consistently win on the road they will never be an elite team ..despite TSNs BS power rankings!!!
too late to back track now on your comments
The Canuckleheads come out trying to Duece it up and are down 5-1 after one period!!
I really believe we can play it any style and succeed!
Kinda like the Gretzky Oilers tonight Wiz!!!
This is awesome, I'm at work but everytime I refresh Espn's score tracker they put up another goal on Luongo. Boldy, what the heck is going on? I can't see it.
Every shot that never went in the last 2 games went in during the first period vs luongo.
Pulled after the first.
The Canucks sure were dirty tonight with checks from behind and late in both zones...Obrien crosschecked Toews into the Nucks net very dangerous and since they were on a powerplay already they let it slide!
That's how you make teams pay by putting the puck in the net. I'd suggest they forget the rough stuff and try getting more shots on goal.
Isn't he due back anyday? I want to see a Burrish, Fraser and Eager/Kopecky line formed when 37 finally surfaces.
...when he is able to skate at pace thiose gusy do, then he can play.
There is nothing wrong with Burish not rushing into the line-up before he is close to 'his' game pace, since we all know he won't be on the ice to add goals....
Courtside with Kane!!!
But I think you were referring to when he was coming back on the ice ..right Phil?
Yes Boldy...when will 37 make his much awaited season debut on the ice ?
Start practicing saying Cristobel Huet with pride like he was your brother and you are proud of him.
It will come in handy when you receive your Huet jersey and everyone in Ontario is envious!
I'm pretty sure that Toews would not disrespect his Black Hawks teammate by calling Kesler a good guy, Olympics teammate or not, after he called Ladd a coward.
This is the difference between a guy who plays for his team and a guy who plays for himself, and the Captain of an original 6 team and a guy that beats up 60- year old cab drivers but has never finished a check in the 2-3years that I have been watching him play.
I know Kane is probably the most talented guy on our team, but the difference in character between him and Toews is like night and day. I'm pretty sure that Ladd didn't appreciate his comments, and I'm not sure how much they were appreciated in the locker room.
Maybe I'm too old school, but Kane's comments bothered me and I'll bet they bothered a few teammates, too.
That's quite a bit of judgement on your part. Especially since it's clear you don't have your facts straight! Which is important when you throw rampant negativity around about someone, regardless if they're a pro athlete.
I read the police report which is public record in Buffalo, and I also read the statements the cab driver in Buffalo gave to the press post incident. Kane never touched the Cab driver, his relative is the only one in the cab that made contact with the Cab driver and it was merely to get the 100 dollar bill that was handed to the Cabbie. This cab driver had no change and then decided to lock the doors so they could not exit the vehicle.
I'm tired of hearing people talk about Patrick Kane as if he's some miscreant which he is not whatsoever. On a personal note, and this is an opinion, but I still to this day have never understood why anyone would put an athlete on a pedestal and then place them under a microscope of one's own moral code. How can anyone live up to anyone elses moral code, when they themselves fail regularly to even meet their own code. It's laughable. They're humans, humans are infallable, they do dumb things. Just like you do, including getting drunk and hanging out with your friends (at 21 yrs old) in a limo with some girls. They just happen to work for the Blackhawks and not for Burger King. So it is okay by your estimate that the kid doing the fries at BK has a lower moral code to stand up to for you kids? What if the kid at BK doing the fries is one of the most moral people in the world, are you going to ask your kids to admire and idolize him? It's a ridiculous principle through and through. Admiration of athletic ability is one thing, admiration for some set of rules based on societal or individual perception is retarded at best.
I saw Patrick Kane finish some checks this season. I also saw him play his heart out for the US Olympic team last week. If you want your kids to watch someone give it his all (Remember the goal he saved by racing back to thwart Crosby on the breakaway) then he and Toews were your ideal guys.
Why don't you go look up the Hawks statistics leaders for points this season? I'm not sure you're going to find many 21 yr olds in the NHL with Patrick's offensive ability? The Hawks drafted Kane for these qualities, not his frame obviously, or his defensive physical presence on the ice. I mean....cmon.
On a team with a pay roll of 60 mill approx the following by the way of constant griping on here dont earn their pay:
Huet 5.62
Versteeg 3.08
Byfuglien 3.08
Bolland 3.37
Campbell 7.14
Madden 2.75
Kropecky 1.20
So 25 mill (approx 40% of the cap) is dedicated to 7 individuals who are dragging down our 42-16-5 team!!
just trying to understand how this team game is on the shoulders of these not so "Magnificent 7"
I'm more concerned with our goalie play and turnovers on the defensive end. Go Hawks!
I'm expecting a great game tonight. Hopefully we set the tone from the opening faceoff. #33 should come up big tonight. His screens in the playoffs affected Luongo more than any other goalie we played last year.
The Cowards anthem!!
"Yeah, I did, but right there I didn’t just call him that,”
I called him a coward, but for the love of God, I didn't just do it again? Is that what he's saying? As though he's scared to death that it might get back to Ladd that he said it again...and can expect another beat down?
I think Ladd may have broken more than just his nose. I think he may have nailed him right in his !@#$& mind.
I hope Kesler is as nervous and distracted on the ice as he sounds in those quotes.
With double talk like that, he's a shoe-in for Senator at least.
Kind of like "I voted for it before I voted against it."
I wouldn't mind seeing him in a Hawks uniform, though! He's a hard nosed guy with some talent.
but kesler is gonna be making far too much money for any consideration as a hawk...
But hey....we got the future hall of famer Dave Bolland to drool over......How this guy is worth 3+ million a year, is beyond me?
Huge game tonight. Next 3 games will be a great measuring stick to see how the Hawks look against the upper echelon western conference teams.
I really don't understand what management is thinking - basically everyone is worth 3mil plus. I do like bolland and Versteeg, but when they get those contracts and play like 1 to 2 million dollar guys - they are going to get beat up. One of the major reasons Buf got beat up last year, but this year Buf is not in the hot seat as much. The only reason Buf gets beat up nowadays - is when people say he plays well every game or has some skill and is a physical force. Buf's talent is that he is big and has a long stick and some decent skating abilities for a big guy. But yet, much talent and potential to be tapped. His shot is overated. Buf is best around the net, otherwise he is a detriment to the offense and line mates.
Again - i don't think management has a clue and has a bunch of ass kissers and yes men surrounding them. We will see.
By the way - the next 9 games are huge - not 3. That is the measuring stick. Every team they face is good and has playoff aspirations.
"Chicago Blackhawks centre Dave Bolland expects to play Wednesday night against the St. Louis Blues, his first game since undergoing surgery Nov. 10 to repair a herniated disc in his back."
Yeah now it will be Bolland right Top/Steve R?
I guess you guys have had a bad back or problems with a herniated disk because im sure like most sports which take a long while to recover from such an injury (depending on the severity of the herniated disk) hockey is much easier right?
Bolland has played well of late but I think you guys should clarify why he isnt earning his pay?
whats next?