via the CP at the Times-Colonist,

Kane's agent, Craig Oster, said the forward considered undergoing surgery last summer but decided to rehabilitate the injury instead. When Kane missed practice Thursday, Maurice said the winger was seeing team doctors for an undisclosed ailment that has bothered him all season.

Reports initially indicated Kane was benched because he broke the team's dress code by wearing a track suit instead of a suit to a team meeting.

"The decision to have surgery ... is based simply on health reasons, nothing more," Oster told The Canadian Press in a phone interview.

The benching only heightened speculation about Kane's long-term future with the club. A source confirmed to The Canadian Press that Kane had a run-in with teammates the day of the Vancouver game that included Dustin Byfuglien throwing Kane's track suit into the shower.

"The event itself — I think there's been a terrible amount of speculation and rumours in terms of what may or did happen," Oster said. "I don't know the facts. I don't know that anybody really knows all of the facts so I really don't have anything to comment (on) because I refuse to speculate about it."...

Kane hasn't asked for a trade, Oster said.

"He continues to be a Winnipeg Jet and will be until his contract expires or until he's traded," Oster said.