Sharks considered parting ways with Kane early in offseason?

San Jose Sharks left winger Evander Kane (9) before the game against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena.? Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Sharks were looking to part ways with Evander Kane early in offseason

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 8/3/21

The saga revolving around Evander Kane may be new news to those who don't regularly follow the NHL. But for those who have worked the closest to him, the embattled winger has long been a problem.

Sources are telling Kevin Kurz of The Athletic that Kane's current team, the San Jose Sharks, tried parting ways with the embattled winger earlier in the offseason due to his deteriorated relationship with teammates. According to the report, some members of the team don't want Kane to return with the team next season even if he is cleared of the gambling allegations made about him over the last week.

Kane dominated headlines over the last weekend when his estranged wife, Anna, took to social media alleging the NHLer had been gambling on NHL games and was throwing certain Sharks games on purpose to turn a profit. She also alleged his gambling addiction caused their family financial hardship and made it difficult for her to feed their infant daughter.

The league quickly announced it had opened an investigation into the gambling allegations.

The League was made aware this evening of a post on social media alleging that San Jose Sharks Player Evander Kane bet on NHL games. The integrity of our game is paramount and the League takes these allegations very seriously. (1/2)
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) July 31, 2021

Current NHLers who know Kane have anonymously told ESPN they have known Kane to be a big gambler and bet on other sports, but not on NHL games.

Kane, who turned 30 on Monday, took to social media one day later to give his side of the story, allegedly against the wishes of his legal team to do so.

#sjsharks Evander Kane responds to allegations, says he’s never bet on hockey, the Sharks or one of his own games. Also calls his wife “mentally unwell.” pic.twitter.com/teLC9U2Rxl
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) August 1, 2021

At the start of the 2019-2020 NHL season, reports surfaced Kane owed a large sum of money to the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas where he'd run out on a $500,000 marker while the Sharks were in town playing the Golden Knights during the previous playoffs. In January of this year, Kane filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy claiming upwards of $1.5 million was lost via gambling.

This investigation is ongoing.

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