The Chicago Blackhawks have, once again, drawn the ire of people inside and outside of the hockey community. The team announced its scheduled giveaways for the 2015-16 season, and it includes one that’s rather questionable, to say the least.
When the Blackhawks host the St. Louis Blues on January 24, the first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a Patrick Kane bobblehead.
While, at any other time, a giveaway of a bobblehead for a team’s best player would be no problem, this is a special circumstance. Kane, as you know, is the subject of an ongoing rape investigation from an incident that allegedly occurred during the early morning hours of August 2.
The investigation is still ongoing with the latest developments being that the attorney of the accuser recently removed himself from the case due to a conflict of interest.
Since training camp opened, the team has stood behind its superstar, including an acquired media conference the day before the first practice where Kane thanked reporters and “appreciated” every question that was asked. Still, with this case no closer to being over than it was a month ago, it may have been safe to avoid promoting Kane in any fashion during the season.
The Blackhawks have been reached for comment on the matter, and asked if changes to the schedule could be made.
Michael is a former Managing Editor for The Hockey Writers. He’s covered the Buffalo Sabres, along with the NHL in general, for various outlets since 2009. His work has been featured on outlets such as Yahoo, Sports Illustrated and Fox Sports.
