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Early Thursday morning reports came out of Buffalo, New York that Chicago Blackhawks star forward Patrick Kane was being investigated by police in a potential rape case. Tim Graham of Buffalo News said that a women accused Kane, a Buffalo native, of sexual assault for an incident that occurred during the weekend of August 1st. Graham also reported that no charges have been filed yet but also added that “law enforcement sources” believe Kane could turn himself in.
The alleged incident occurred in the Buffalo suburb of Hamburg, where Hamburg Police Chief Gregory Wickett said, when asked about the incident, “We can neither confirm nor deny the existence of a criminal investigation until such a time as a person is charged with a crime.”
This is not the first time that Kane has been in trouble with the law. In 2009, he and his cousin James Kane pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after he assaulted a 62-year old Buffalo cab driver over $0.20 cents.
Kane was the first overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and through 576 games, has tallied 205 goals and 353 assists. He has also never scored less than 20 goals in each of his eight seasons playing in the NHL, even during the lockout shortened 2012-2013 season when he appeared in 47 games.
Kane is coming off of a very successful season in which he scored 27 goals on the way to the Blackhawks winning their third Stanley Cup championship in six years, all of which Kane has been a vital member of the team.
He is also entering the first year of his eight year, $84M contract extension he signed prior to last season. His extension has an AAV of $10.5M and keeps him with the Blackhawks until he is 34 years old. If Kane is found guilty of felony rape charges, his contract will assuredly be terminated by Chicago.
While the details of the alleged sexual assault are unknown and although the law is never black and white about anything, rape carries a serious sentence in the state of New York. First, second and third degree rape are all felonies that would land a person in federal prison. First degree typically ranges from five to 25 years in prison and third degree can land a person in prison for up to four years, but no less than one year given that third degree rape is still a felony.
The state of New York can also issue a fine of $5,000, which is nothing to a player that has made an estimated $45M on salary alone according to Spotrac.com, however Kane has been known to beat up an old man over $0.20 cents, so it would be unclear as to how he would handle the fine if he is to be found guilty.
