Raising Kane

Patrick Kane was asked at least a dozen times during my three days in Chicago about growing up in Buffalo, so clearly his return is a big story in the Windy City, too. His father, Pat ""Tiki'' Kane has always been a big help to me, and he went beyond the call of duty in Chicago. His mother, Donna, helped round up all the photos in Buffalo.

Anyone familiar with Kane's parents in South Buffalo know they're class acts. It explains plenty about their son. Kane was a prodigy as a kid, but they raised him the right way. They supported him but made sure he kept his feet on the ground. It can be tricky. You don't need to spend much time with him to realize he had a good head on his shoulders. I don't see that changing.

Here are five thoughts about Kane that didn't make it into the story Friday.

1. He's a better player than I thought he would be, and I thought he would be pretty darned good. Every time I hear people gush over his hands, I gush over his head. He knows where everybody is on the ice at all times and had a unique ability for getting them the puck just in the right spot at the right time. He sees the game in slow motion and is calm under pressure. It's a gift.

2. He also has the right temperament off the ice. Think about what you were doing when you were 19 years old. Me at that age? Uh, well, uh, no comment. All he's thinking about right now is playing hockey. He just loves playing the game. He's not out partying, spends very little money, and lives a regimented lifestyle that would be boring if he wasn't playing in the NHL. It's because he's focused.

3. But he's still a kid and does kid things. Kevyn Adams told me that Kane, early in the season, would strap on his equipment and practice. No stretch, no nothing, like he was suiting up for Caz when he was 6. Wait until you turn 40, kid. Kane didn't even know, or care, the part of town in which he was living with Stan Bowman. He just knew it was in Chicago. By the way, it's on the north side.

He once walked into a restaurant, realized he forgot his wallet and had to sign his name with a promise he would come back and pay. Can you imagine the declaration? I, Patrick Kane, the leading scorer on the Chicago Blackhawks and top pick overall in the NHL, will willfully return with $18.74 that will cover the cost of my chicken parm or face doing the dishes.

4. He's proud to be from Buffalo. When you're in this business, you spend half your life sticking up for your hometown with out-of-towners who think they know the place because they watched a snowstorm on CNN. Kane talked about the people. He made sure to say what a great place it was, how great his old neighborhood was and how he couldn't wait to get home. And it was genuine.

5. He has the right people around him, in addition to his parents. The Blackhawks are a class organization and are bringing him along the right way. He's getting plenty of playing time and, more importantly, room to make mistakes. He's still developing. He's going to experience slumps. Everybody does. Check back in a couple years, though, and he'll be scoring 100 points a season and playing in the Olympics.

Vancouver 2010. See you there.

--- Bucky Gleason

Comments

[W]

Watch him play. He is a special player, gifted in all phases of the game (except hitting, which incidentally he does not really shy away from too much as one might expect, he's a tough kid) and is Buffalo born and raised. Whats not to like? He just might end up in the Hall, but thats not the point of this article. Its pointing out the kind of kid Kane is.

[Don H]

It's great to be enthusiastic about a young player from the area. However,it's a bit early to all but put him in the NHL Hall-of-Fame.