The San Jose Sharks have waived embattled forward Evander Kane on Sunday. He will be assigned to the AHL San Jose Barracuda if he clears waivers.
Evander Kane will be placed on waivers today, @mercnews has learned. Assuming he clears, he will be assigned to the Barracuda.
— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) November 28, 2021
Evander Kane Waived by Sharks
It’s been a rough few months for Kane, who was cleared after accusations he bet on games. However, he was suspended for 21 games for violations of COVID protocols. Kane was alleged to have provided a fake COVID-19 vaccination card. Possessing a false card is illegal in the United States and Canada. He stayed away from the team while the league was completing their investigations.
Kane has played for the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks in his 12-year NHL career. He has 264 goals and 242 assists for 506 points in 769 career games. The Vancouver native got drafted in the first round, fourth overall by Atlanta in the 2009 NHL Draft. He scored 22 goals and 49 points in 56 games last season for San Jose.
The 30-year-old was listed as a non-roster player while the league was investigating him. He has been skating in San Jose while the team figured out what to do with him.
What it Means
Kane has been a distraction with all of the drama surrounding him. He’s going through messy divorce proceedings with his wife and has incurred massive gambling debts. He was sued in May of this year for $15 million plus attorney fees by a lender. The lawsuit stems Kane allegedly defrauding Professional Bank of a $1.5 million loan application. That report came from The Athletic’s Daniel Kaplan. Kane did file for bankruptcy in January claiming debts of $26. 8 million.
The veteran forward still had a productive season last year, but it may be a risk for someone to pick him up. Kane’s time with the Sharks is likely over as they contemplate their next move, but nothing is decided. It’s a big decision for acting general manager Joe Will, as he’s filling in while Doug Wilson is on medical leave.
