After practice on Sunday, Blackhawks star Patrick Kane responded to a new report that claims he is "unlikely" to face criminal charges relating to allegations of sexual assault.
Kane echoed previous statements about waiting for the case to be resolved before saying anything, and he did not provide a direct comment about the Buffalo News report.
"There's been a lot of reports, a lot of things that have been said that have been wrong, a lot of things that have been said that were maybe accurate, too, but we've kind of stayed even keel the whole time and not really saying much, and actually leaving it to the facts and what actually happened instead of going off sources and different reports," Kane said.
Three sources familiar with the case told the Buffalo News that they do not believe the case will be presented to a grand jury. The newspaper reports that one source said, "This case is going nowhere." Another added, "I was told ... the case will be administratively dismissed."
Three months ago, a woman told police Kane had sexually assaulted her at his home in Hamburg, New York, according to reports. None of Kane's DNA was found in the rape kit, however.
Kane told reporters in a press conference in September that he is "confident" authorities will find he did "nothing wrong."
When asked Sunday if he has felt frustrated by the long process of the investigation, Kane said no.
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"I think it's one of those situations where obviously it seems like it's been a long time, it's been about three months, but I'm obviously looking forward to any type of conclusion, whatever it may be," Kane said.
Blackhawks Coach Joel Quenneville also briefly addressed the investigation after practice Sunday saying he thinks Kane has handled the situation well. He also lauded him for his consistent play on the ice.
"I commend him on how he's handled it, right through training camp on throughout the whole season," Quenneville said. "His focus has been in the right place. He's handled it extremely well. Tough spot."
