Evander Kane is likely done for the rest of the season, but both his head coach and teammates say he would be welcomed back with open arms.

Whether or not Kane actually plays another game for the Jets remains to be seen and that answer might not be known for some time.

Jets head coach Paul Maurice said Friday morning that after seeing the team doctor on Thursday, Kane has elected to have left shoulder surgery and that the normal recovery time for that injury is four-to-six months.

“This is an injury that players have, probably every team has a player with this injury,” said Maurice. “(Kane) went and got it looked at and there was some progression with the injury, so there was the option of how you would best move forward with it. He decided on the surgery.

There's been plenty of drama surrounding Kane the past few days, since he was held out of the lineup against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday as a coach's decision, which most people presumed to be a healthy scratch.

News broke on Thursday that Kane was involved in a locker-room incident and reacted poorly to what has been described as a prank that saw Dustin Byfuglien throw his clothes in either the shower or cold tub.

So did the locker-room incident impact Kane's decision to opt for surgery, rather than continue to play through the injury?

“That would be a question for Evander,” said Maurice.

There was also a report that suggested Kane missed the team bus and that after the Jets reached him on his cellphone, he told them he wasn't going to play against the Canucks.

On Friday morning, Maurice reiterated that it was his decision that Kane didn't play in the game.

“I made the decision not to put him in the lineup,” said Maurice.

The Jets, who have lost five consecutive games and are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks, host the Chicago Blackhawks tonight at MTS Centre.

Jets defenceman Mark Stuart was asked if Kane would be welcomed back if and when he was able to play?

“Absolutely,” said Stuart. “What's happened has happened and we've dealt with it. Right now, we're concentrating on playing. What he has going on will work itself out. We've got to concentrate on Chicago. At this time of year, there's going to be distractions, but you can't let them get to you. There's not enough time here to dwell on things. That's where we're at.”

Stuart said the Jets' locker-room remains tighter than it's ever been.

“This room is the best I've seen it since I got traded to Atlanta,” said Stuart, who arrived from the Boston Bruins in February of 2011. “What makes a good teammate is looking out for each other and holding guys accountable at the same time. But most importantly, it's going out there and working hard for each other every night and doing the right things because this is your job and guys take their jobs extremely seriously, as they should.

“So when maybe you're not taking yours as seriously as you should, that's disrespecting the other guys and I think guys in this room realize that. We've done a good job this season of playing hard for each other and that needs to continue and even take a step up right now, because of where we're at and where we find ourselves. But it can be done and tonight's a good time to start.”

Jets defenceman Zach Bogosian addressed the issue of accountability.

“Yeah, as a professional locker-room you have to make sure everyone's held accountable. I sat the other night, where I got benched for taking a stupid penalty. That was a hundred percent on me, and I'll take it,” said Bogosian. “I'm going to say it now and I'll say it probably five more times. What happens in the room stays in the room.”

Maurice spoke about the issue of information about the incident being leaked.

“I have a pretty solid understanding of where that information comes from, I think most of you do, based on where you get your information from. It's inevitable, but that's going to happen,” said Maurice. “Versions of all stories will get out. And then it's a challenge for you, because you're going to have to make hard (decisions). Nobody wants to listen to you or read what you have to sit if you're going to sit on the fence of all the things that maybe could have happened. They want you to make a decision on what happened and you can't possibly know that. That's a challenge for you, I get that.

“So I have the option of telling you everything that I know and then I control the spin on it. Or I have the option of handling it the way I want the hockey team to handle it and protect anybody. Evander Kane is a Winnipet Jet, so is every other guy in that locker room. So Evander Kane not playing is my decision. I wish it hadn't gotten out into the media. I don't believe that we're responsible for letting you all into the locker room like that. There are things that the players handle and there are things that I handle. This was one that I handle. I know what all the reports were, but this is one that I handle. There are things in my domain that I handle, that I don't expect the players to take care. And there's a bunch of things that they take care of.”

Does Maurice feel the situation was handled properly?

“I understand all of the different things that you have to surmise that could have happened,” said Maurice. “So I take the information that I base that decision on and I decide who gets that information. I also know that if you don't like the answer that I've given you, I have the opportunity to look bad... I'm fine with that. I'll take that. The players know what happened, I know what happened. That's the decision I made.

“They also know that moving forward, that's the same decision that's going to happen to anyone.”

Stuart also said that Kane is a good teammate, before showing some frustration about how the news of the Kane incident got into the media.

“I think that he is,” said Stuart. “I know you guys (in the media) love this stuff, which is fine. It's your job. And this isn't, I'm not trying to insult you guys but you have no idea what goes on in this room. You may hear stories once in a while, but that's the way it should be. Things shouldn't be getting out. Stories are going to get out and you're going to hear some stuff, but the day-to-day over the last three, four years, you guys really have no clue. So it's hard for you guys to make judgements.”

The loss of Kane is an obvious blow to the Jets, since they're they're forced to keep Dustin Byfuglien at forward, at least for the time being. Byfuglien has been the Jets' best defenceman since moving back to his natural position on Dec. 5.

“We've been in a situation all year with guys in and out of the lineup, injuries haven't been our friend,” said Stuart. “Every team in the league has dealt with it. It's no different. Other guys need to step up and play bigger roles and we have guys that can do that. We're excited about the opportunity.”

It's important to remember that Kane has missed 13 games because of injuries, two to suspension and one due to the coach's decision.

“We've had key players out at all positions and found a way to survive,” added Maurice. “(Kane) is a key piece that comes out and we're going to have to make up for that, but we are healthier on our blue-line and we have to play maybe a tighter game. Maybe we don't score as much. But Evander was out of our lineup, at times, when we did play well.”

Michael Hutchinson gets the start in goal for the Jets and he's 3-0 against the Blackhawks this season and has given up only three goals on 105 shots he's faced.

“We have a healthy amount of respect for the Chicago Blackhawks and what they're capable of doing. It's not just their offensive play. They have some world-class players,” said Maurice. “We've been able to get our game to a level, a pace and they've been good, tight games.

“We're looking forward to the puck dropping, right. The other way of looking at it is that I'm really, really smart. We just dropped five games and I haven't had to talk about it. It's all part of the master plan. I'm looking forward to the puck dropping and I know the players are. You can feel it in the morning skate. Nobody likes this out there. But there's a progression and a growth that is happening with this team and it's not always going to be a straight line. It has to happen.”

Blackhawks forward Daniel Carcillo is expected to return to the lineup after serving a six-game suspension for cross-checking Jets forward Mathieu Perreault late in the second period on Jan. 16.

The Jets (26-18-9) continue to hold down the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference and enter the contest three points behind the Blackhawks (31-18-2).

Here's how I expect both teams to start on Friday:

JETS

Andrew Ladd-Bryan Little-Blake Wheeler Mathieu Perreault-Mark Scheifele-Dustin Byfuglien Michael Frolik-Adam Lowry-Chris Thorburn TJ Galiardi-Jim Slater-Anthony Peluso

Toby Enstrom-Zach Bogosian Mark Stuart-Jacob Trouba Ben Chiarot-Adam Pardy

Michael Hutchinson (Ondrej Pavelec)

BLACKHAWKS

Brandon Saad-Jonathan Toews-Marian Hossa Patrick Sharp-Brad Richards-Patrick Kane Bryan Bickell-Andrew Shaw-Teuvo Teravainen Daniel Carcillo-Marcus Kruger-Ben Smith

Duncan Keith-David Rundblad Niklas Hjalmarsson-Brent Seabrook Michal Rozsival-Johnny Oduya