The NHL Department of Player Safety has announced that San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane has been suspended for three games. This is his third career suspension and second this season.
San Jose’s Evander Kane has been suspended for three games for Elbowing Winnipeg’s Neal Pionk. https://t.co/EyEFNjDPYd
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) February 15, 2020
Evander Kane Suspended
Kane has been suspended for three games for an incident with Neal Pionk of the Winnipeg Jets. As Pionk carried the puck up the ice, Kane delivered a check to Pionk’s head with his right elbow. Pionk was slow to get up, but managed to get himself to the Jets’ bench and was on the ice for the ensuing power play. Kane was assessed a minor penalty for elbowing.
In 54 games this season, Kane has scored 21 goals and 16 assists for 37 points, adding 110 penalty minutes. He has put up a Corsi-For of 49.8 percent and a relative Corsi of -0.2.
Over his 11-year NHL career, Kane has played for the Sharks, the Buffalo Sabres, the Jets, and the Atlanta Thrashers. He has put up 237 goals and 210 assists for 447 career points in 703 career games. He was originally drafted in the first round, fourth overall in the 2009 NHL Draft by the Thrashers.
Kane took to Twitter to share his view on the suspension:
MY STATEMENT: pic.twitter.com/taoALpVmvn
— Evander Kane (@evanderkane_9) February 15, 2020
What this Means for the Future
When it rains, it pours.
The Sharks have fallen dramatically from their appearance in last season’s Western Conference Final, currently sitting sixth in the Pacific Division and ten points out of a playoff spot.
This, of course, was before the Sharks announced that the team’s leading scorer, Erik Karlsson, will miss the remainder of the season thanks to a broken thumb. All-Star Thomas Hertl has also been shut down due to surgery on his left knee. With their playoff chances dwindling and now missing three key players, Kane’s suspension may be the final nail in the coffin of the Sharks’ season.
It also presents an interesting circumstance for general manager Doug Wilson. With Karlsson and Hertl both placed on LTIR, the Sharks have some considerable cap space with the deadline right around the corner. In addition to being sellers, look for the Sharks to possibly take on a large contract from a team in need of some cap relief.
Main Photo: SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 18: Evander Kane #9 of the San Jose Sharks controls the puck while defended by Deryk Engelland #5 and Nate Schmidt #88 of the Vegas Golden Knights at SAP Center on March 18, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
