Just when you think it couldn’t get any uglier or worse for San Jose Sharks’ winger Evander Kane, he’s under investigation again. This time, it’s not for gambling. And no, the newest investigation doesn’t have to do with allegations from this ex-wife — although that investigation is ongoing. The NHL is investigating Kane for two separate issues at the same time.
First, as per an NHL.com story, Kane is still under investigation for allegations of serious “past behaviour toward Ms. Kane”. Second, they are now looking into the player regarding allegations of inappropriate behaviour potentially jeopardizing the health and safety of Club members.” In other words, a COVID protocol violation has been added to Kane’s list of bad decisions and it’s not entirely clear where this investigation will lead.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the details of any possible violation being investigated are unknown at this time. When asked for comment, Kane’s representatives, the NHL, the NHLPA, and the San Jose Sharks have not responded. It is assumed that if Kane is found in violation of COVID protocols, the punishment could be severe, but there’s no formal structure set in place for handing out punishments. In this case, it could be up to the Sharks and if they’ll receive salary relief should they hand out something severe is not known.
One thing to keep in mind is that there is a past precedent for issues like this. In January 2021, Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmirty Orlov, and Ilya Samsonov were all suspended for four games for “social interactions among team members who were in close contact and not wearing face coverings” during a road trip. The team was fined $100,000. It’s not likely the league hands out anything more severe unless it is found Kane did something extremely out there.
Kane has already been removed on an indefinite leave from the Sharks during training camp. There have also been rumors the team has actively tried to trade him. Some chatter that active members of the roster don’t want him back are out there and the organization may be looking for reasons to rid themselves of his contract. He keeps giving them cause, but nothing has come to pass yet and he’s technically still part of the roster and likely slated to play when the NHL regular season kicks off.
A timeline on any report related to the COVID protocol violation has not been determined. If he’s not going to miss games, a decision needs to be made prior to San Jose’s regular season-opening game on October 16 versus the Winnipeg Jets.
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