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Blackhawks lose their shirts on road trip

| 9 Comments | UPDATED STORY
Are the Blackhawks finding ways to relax during their grueling, eight-game road trip?

As these photos posted to The Kurten blog in the (Vancouver) Province reveal, Hawks players Patrick Kane, Kris Versteeg and John Madden used the occasion of a recent limousine ride for some shirtless partying.

Reached for comment, the Blackhawks confirmed the authenticity of the photos and said, "We're aware of them. It's a team-related issue and will be handled like any other situation and that will be internally."

No harm, no foul (except to shirt-makers). At least Kane had the sense to take a limo.

9 Comments

Steven-so as long as the team does well, who cares if they have no morals, cheat on their wives, beat up cab drivers for no reason etc? Well since you just said you yourself do not have any morals, I won't even take your comment seriously.

Wondering if someone could comment on the story that a Blackhawk player walked out of the bar in downtown Vancouver Jan 23 (Saturday) with one of the Canucks' girlfriend. Supposedly this Blackhawk proceeded to take this lady back to his hotel room. Blackhawk..please comment on this.

Yikes, those chicks are ugly. Also isn't it that the girls should be taking off their tops,not the dudes? Seems a little strang. If I didn't recognize them I'd think those guys were chippendales.

to all those concerned:
if you require further clarification go to the Province Blog to read the comments...
These pictures are not real. They are photoshopped.
These are not girls from Vancouver.
These are young girls from the Chicago area.
The young women the Hawks associated with in Vancouver are not those pictured.
Madden at no time removed his clothes. All team members remained fully clothed while on the road.

These pictures are photoshopped.

can't believe some people this this is real. Read the comments on the Kurten blog - it's DEFINITELY faked. geez.

Honestly,

go read the Province blog (above link). these photos are photoshopped. I assure you
these girls are not even from Vancouver.

Vancouver Women are very Classy and Sophisticated.
They are universally 10/10 Beautiful.
It has become apparent that these pictures are not real.

The girls are just young teenagers from Chicago.

Madden is really a nice family man. The pictures are fake. Read the comments on the Vancouver Blog. You will see.
Madden Buddy we will stick behind you in this one!!

Blackhawks...

Who are you kidding? I've been to Vancouver.. the Women there are universally 10/10 DROP DEAD GORGEOUS. Usually very sophisticated and classy. These pictures were clearly altered.
1. Women of Vancouver Are BEAUTIFUL (victoria secret beautiful on every corner in every bar).... these ones not.

2. Women of Vancouver only date Canucks... some how thes girls got our Blackhawks out of their clothes and they are not even home yet!

this is chicago for sure. these are just their friends from around Chicago. nO BIG DEAL.

No Vancouver woman looks like that .... think Victoria Secret 24-7 without having to try!

This is Chicago!

This just a case of going slump busting! After a bad game you go out find a couple of hogs and go wild. Case closed. And Madden was probably just showing the kids how it's done.

I am with Sactamonious U. If I were out partying and had pictures of me with my shirt off it wouldn't be an issue with my job. As long as I do my work and don't screw around on the clock. Show me the guy (or girl for thqat matter) who hasn't done something stupid while out at least once and I'll show you someone who wil NEVER have an interesting story to tell.

The Shermanator on January 27, 2010 3:29 PM

The Kaner scored Stiffler's Mom!!!

What I find most disappointing about these photographs is the fact that John Madden appeared in them at all. When it comes to Patrick Kane and Kris Versteeg, both of them arguably have youthful indiscretion and stupidity on their side to help explain away the content of the pictures, but what possible excuse could a married man (pointedly sans wedding ring) and father of two possibly have for being drunk and shirtless in the back of a limo with a bunch of puck bunnies, all of whom look to be at least a decade his junior?

As a Devils fan who always had a great deal of respect for John Madden both on and off the ice, I can't help but feel a little bit let down. Madden was always one of my favourite Devils, and when Lou Lamoriello made the decision not to tender him an offer, I was glad he landed somewhere like Chicago where his experience as a premier defensive forward and a veteran leader would be appreciated, but in light of this incident, I cannot help but question whether or not Madden is capable of bringing more maturity to this club than is already brought by players like Jonathan Toews, who, to my knowlege, has never appeared in a series of photographs as unflattering as these and is the captain of a professional hockey team at a time in his life when most kids his age are still living with their parents.

I suppose what bothers me the most about this was how off-guard I was caught by it all. Say what you want about Lou, but the most unflattering press ever garnered by a Devils player was that brought on by Martin Brodeur's affair and subsequent divorce. Lamoriello, who had at that point known Brodeur for almost thirteen years and looked at him as another son, stood by him and did his best to keep the media at an arm's length, but Lamoriello won't go to such lengths for everyone. I don't know how Lamoriello does it, but Lou has his players on lockdown. He regulates everything, from personal appearance (all Devils must be cleanshaven during the regular season and maintain a well-groomed appearance at all times, and there is a zero-tolerance policy for anything outlandish, be it a stlye of dressing, piercings or an unusual haircolour or hairstyle) to who talks to the media to a code of conduct both on and off the ice. Players have crossed Lou before, but that's more likely to land you a one-way ticket out of town to wherever he wants to send you said player than get him what he wants.

The only reason I bring this up is because Madden was an undrafted player. The only NHL team that ever showed any interest in him was the Devils, and he had to play by their rules for over a decade just to make it into the league. Now I'm beginning to wonder if Madden isn't taking his time with the Blackhawks to sew the wild oats he was never able to while fighting for a shot just to play. If that is the case, I feel kind of bad for Blackhawk fans, because Madden may not turn out as great an addition to their team as I or anyone else had hitherto hoped.

I have a question: Who cares!? I don't read the Enquirer or People because I don't give a crap about that stuff - so keep it off of the sports page.

Get wise. They're so shopped.

Now we need to get with it and retaliate. This is THE rivalry. Isn't it obvious? I want to see a couple of pics of Louongo humping a moose and the Sedin twins at a gay bar on Lumberjack night.

My Goal.

Who cares. You people overreact on everything. STFU.

http://deadspin.com/5457677/hockey-players-have-surprisingly-average-if-hairless-bodies

Fans on the Hawk board are swearing these are photoshopped..take and look and you decide...I say no way---they just got caught...I mean why put married man and father John Madden in the heap, Vancouver fans would want to embarrass a different star than old man Madden.

Kane? Your mommy isnt saying enough Rosaries for you again...dang she must have kept a short leash on you before you went away to play hockey.

at least they didnt pull guns on each other

We're talking about young rich 20-somethings here. Of course they're going to party it up and score chicks. Madden, on the other hand, might have some splainin' to do to the wife. As long as they continue to kick butt on the ice, who really cares? At least they aren't driving, like a lot of these other athletes getting busted for DUIs. It's a non-issue. I'd do the same thing if I were them.

TD in Glen Ellyn on January 27, 2010 11:00 AM

Is Kane a "Theo Fleury" in the making?

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