After a whirlwind of controversy and damning reports over the last few days, Winnipeg Jets coach Paul Maurice told reporters Friday afternoon that forward Evander Kane would undergo surgery to repair an injured left shoulder, effectively putting his season to an end.
The recovery for the surgery is expected to take four to six months, so Kane is unlikely to play another game until the 2015-16 season. That doesn't mean he can't still be traded, however.
Sources indicated to ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun that some teams are still interested in acquiring the 23-year-old winger as a long-term investment, even if he cannot provide immediate help.
This ends a frenzied week for Winnipeg, which began when Kane was made a mysterious healthy scratch prior to Tuesday's game in Vancouver, his hometown.
It was revealed Thursday that Kane had violated team dress code by wearing a tracksuit, rather than a dress suit, to the rink for the team's morning skate. According to reports, Kane's teammate Dustin Byfuglien then threw his clothes in a shower, presumably to teach him a lesson about the breach in protocol.
Kane was reportedly upset about Byfuglien's actions and was unreachable to the team in the hours leading up to the game. After he missed both the team bus and a pregame meeting, the Jets told him to not bother showing him up to the game, Maurice confirmed to reporters Friday.
Kane has reportedly been playing through this injury for an extended period of time and did not practice Thursday. The former fourth overall pick in the 2009 draft has 10 goals and 22 points in 37 games for the Jets this season.
The Jets currently occupy one of two wild-card playoff spots in the Western Conference.
ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun contributed to this report.