Patrick Kane: Free To Play Hockey (Finally)

That light whacking sound you hear in the distance is Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane getting slapped on the wrist in Buffalo.

In court on Thursday, Kane and his cousin pleaded guilty to what amounted to nothing, with a court ruling the two should apologize to the cab driver they allegedly assaulted.

This news comes as what many in the Blackhawks organization likely hope is an end to a rough summer.

After a 2008-09 season that was a renaissance the likes of which hasn't been seen in many professional sports, with the Hawks advancing all the way to the Western Conference Finals, the team has had more questions than excitement this summer.

The team opened the free agent signing period by adding All-Star Marian Hossa, but at the expense of fan favorite Martin Havlat. Havlat has been very critical of the Hawks on Twitter and has also been outspoken through print and online media with his thoughts of the Hawks after leaving for Minnesota. 

The Blackhawks then relieved Dale Tallon of his responsibilities as the team's general manager, replacing him with Stan Bowman. The move was not popular with Havlat or the fans, who booed team President John McDonough at the team's annual fan convention.

Then came the news about Kane.

The story has been inconsistent from all accounts, but the general cliff notes of the issue was that Kane and his cousin hit a cab driver when he couldn't produce $1.20 change and wouldn't allow them to exit the taxi at around 4 a.m. on a Sunday.

With the news on Thursday of the court saga now being over, perhaps the Blackhawks can get back to the business of hockey.