While admitting he “had” a gambling addiction, Evander Kane has flat out said he’s never bet on an NHL game, especially ones he was involved with or included his team(s). Speaking to Linda Cohn of ESPN, Kane said, “I’m going to be exonerated of the allegations.”
He was directly asked: Have you ever bet on the NHL? “Not at all,” he responded. “Have you ever gambled on any one of your own games? “Never,” he said with conviction. “Have you ever intentionally tried to lose a game. “No,” as he chuckled, somewhat awkwardly. His point was to suggest that he didn’t do any of the things he was accused of and he’s confident and comfortable knowing he’ll be seen as someone who was wrongly accused.
Meanwhile, the NHL offered an update on some pending league news, the Kane saga among them, and a report on Evander Kane’s situation is expected before the opening of training camp, as per NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. From the sounds of the interview, Kane fully expects that report to include there were no findings of him gambling on anything and that his estranged ex-wife was falsely accusing him of something incredibly serious in the hopes he would get in trouble.
“It’s unfortunate that that transpired. It’s unfortunate that those allegations, false allegations, were made” said Kane. “Obviously, when they happened I understood the magnitude of them immediately not knowing what was going to happen next.”
Even if Kane is exonerated, you can bet the NHL will be keeping close tabs on his situation, as will the Sharks. Kane admitted to having a gambling issue but also said that he sought help and no longer gambles. Noting it’s no longer a part of his life, he doesn’t want to focus his future on mistakes from his past.
What About His Future, Specifically With the Sharks?
When asked if he had comments on the reports that there are a number of members of the current roster in San Jose that don’t want to see him return, “I didn’t really have a reaction,” Kane told Cohn. “The media does what the media does. Certain members of the media [that] feel that they have an ear in the room or unidentified sources really mean nothing to me.”
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