When the NHL announced last week that an investigation cleared Evander Kane of allegations he’d gambled on league games, it revealed two new inquiries were underway.
According to an NHL.com story, the first involves “serious accusations relating to his past behaviour toward Ms. Kane and the other involving allegations of inappropriate behaviour potentially jeopardizing the health and safety of Club members.”
Sadly, the Kanes’ divorce has played out very publicly, with serious accusations levelled by both parties. According to multiple sources, the second investigation involves a possible violation of NHL COVID protocols. The details of any possible violation being investigated are unknown at this time.
Kane did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the investigations. A representative for Kane’s attorney said there would be no comment. The NHL, NHLPA and San Jose Sharks also declined to comment.
Under new protocols unveiled by the NHL and NHLPA earlier this month, there are no specific punishments listed for violations. In January 2021, Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmirty Orlov and Ilya Samsonov were placed on the NHL’s COVID inactive list and missed 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.
The NHL’s health and safety measures for the 2021-22 season cover a large number of protocols.
At this time, there is no known timetable for either investigation to conclude. The Sharks announced last week that the organization and Kane “agreed” he will not participate in training camp until further notice. Any claims that Kane did not comply with the NHL’s COVID protocols are unproven.
San Jose opens the regular season Oct. 16 at home against Winnipeg.