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Jonathan Toews: Blackhawks will support teammate going through 'rough patch'

USA TODAY Sports

As the Patrick Kane situation lingers over the Chicago Blackhawks with training camp two weeks away, little has has been said publicly from anyone within the organization.

Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews has been the team's captain since 2008.

That changed -- somewhat -- Thursday in an interview on a Winnipeg radio station.

While not mentioning Kane by name, Jonathan Toews was asked by TSN 1290 how he deals with offseason, off-ice distractions as captain of the team.

"I think you just have to have confidence that things like that will resolve themselves over time," Toews said. "For the time being, you stay together as a team. You support your teammate, teammates that are maybe going through a rough patch."

Kane witness subpoenaed to appear before grand jury

Kane is the subject of an investigation for an alleged incident that occurred at his house in Hamburg, N.Y., during the weekend of Aug. 1. WGRZ.com, citing a person close to the investigation, reported that Kane is the focus of a rape investigation. Kane and the alleged victim were at Skybar in Buffalo and the two went back to Kane's house, where the alleged incident occurred, WGRZ reported. The alleged victim then called police. Kane has not been charged in the case.

Toews also used last season, when rumors swirled around several teammates' personal lives, as an example of the team sticking together.

"We saw it last year with some rumors that spread through social media about several guys in our locker room," Toews said. "It's not the first time we've seen situations like that. Eventually you just deal with it internally, you stay together as a team, and you're confident that as individuals and as a group, everyone kind of stays together."

Report: Patrick Kane's accuser had bite marks, leg scratch

Toews and Kane are each set to begin identical eight-year, $84 million contracts this season. The Blackhawks begin training camp Sept. 18 at Notre Dame. Chicago opens its regular season Oct. 7 at home against the New York Rangers.

"And at the end of the day, we always say to each other what is said and what is done within the locker room is the only thing that really matters," Toews said. "We don't let anything going on on the outside affect the way we do our job and the way we come to work together as a team."

Here is the full transcript of Toews' comments, provided by the Chicago Tribune's Chris Kuc:

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