from David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune,

What do the Hawks do if Kane remains in legal limbo as the Sept. 18 reporting date nears? The only way they avoid that Catch-22 is if the DA announces in the next month that no charges will be filed. But if Kane faces charges or the investigation remains open, the Hawks face a dilemma in which both sides of the debate can be defended.

Here's my side: In the post-Ray Rice era of professional sports, a first-class franchise such as the Hawks cannot allow a player facing serious allegations to represent it until more clarity about the case exists. That clarity could come sooner rather than later in Kane's case, but it is missing now.

The thing about setting a standard of excellence as high as the Hawks have is living up to it; no single player, not even a living legend, can compromise that commitment to integrity.

An NHL dressing room is not a courtroom; depriving a player such as Kane the right to skate indefinitely is not the same as depriving him of his freedom. It serves as protection against the possibility Kane's alleged transgressions will further embarrass one of the classiest organizations in pro sports. As a former NFL executive texted me Tuesday: "If Kane was in the NFL, he would not play or practice again until (the) case is settled."

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added 8:26am, Twitter reacts to Patrick Kane and it isn't pretty...