Evander Kane’s time with the San Jose Sharks organization has come to an end.
Kane has been with the Sharks’ AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, since November 29 after the Sharks placed him on waivers following Kane’s completion of a 21-game suspension for submitting a fake vaccination card. He played in five AHL games, but has been in COVID-19 protocol since December 22. On Saturday, San Jose placed Kane on unconditional waivers with the intent of terminating his contract with the club for violating AHL COVID-19 protocols.
“The San Jose Sharks have informed Evander Kane that he has been placed on unconditional waivers with intent to terminate his contract for breach of his NHL Standard Player Contract and for violation of the AHL COVID-19 protocol,” San Jose said in a statement. “The Club will have no further comment on this matter.”
According to ESPN, Kane traveled to Vancouver last month while in COVID-19 protocols, a violation of league rules.
Kane has three-and-a-half years and roughly $24 million remaining on a seven-year contract.
The NHLPA [National Hockey League Players Association] put out a statement on Twitter saying they will be filing a grievance.
“We are aware of the San Jose Sharks’ stated intent to terminate Evander Kane’s contract,” the NHLPA said. “The NHLPA intends to challenge any such action by filing a grievance.”
Kane’s agent, Dan Milstein, also put out a statement.
“We are aware of the Sharks’ decision to put Evander on waivers for contract termination,” Milstein said on Twitter. “If he clears, we will file a grievance. The Sharks do not have sufficient grounds for taking this action.”
We are aware of the Sharks’ decision to put Evander on waivers for contract termination. If he clears, we will file a grievance. The Sharks do not have sufficient grounds for taking this action. #WeAreGoldStar!
— Dan Milstein-Hockey (@HockeyAgent1) January 8, 2022
It’s been a tumultuous few months for Kane, who has yet to play in an NHL game this season. He apologized to his teammates in October following the news of his suspension, and is now reportedly fully vaccinated.
“I would like to apologize to my teammates, the San Jose Sharks organization, and all Sharks fans for violating the NHL COVID protocols,” Kane said. “I made a mistake, one I sincerely regret and take responsibility for. During my suspension, I will continue to participate in counseling to help me make better decisions in the future. When my suspension is over, I plan to return to the ice with great effort, determination, and love for the game of hockey.”
Kane has been the topic of multiple off-the-field issues this season, including a domestic assault accusation by his ex-wife that “could not be substantiated” by the NHL, and accusations that he gambled on his own games, which the NHL found no evidence of.
“I’ve said this before, management’s done a really good job of limiting the distractions from the players and the staff,” Sharks coach Bob Boughner said in November after Kane was placed on waivers. “This announcement today is just another example of that. We like what we have in our room, I think we’ve created a pretty good family atmosphere and culture and we’re going to continue to do that.
“This sort of now puts this behind us a little bit. Not that it was a big subject in our room to begin with, but it’s nice we’re moving on and we’re focusing on our jobs.”
While the NHL has not mandated the vaccine for its players, it is heavily encouraged, and the protocols for the unvaccinated are much stricter than for those who have received the vaccine.
The NHL allows teams to suspend unvaccinated players who are “unable to participate in club activities” due to testing positive for COVID. Unvaccinated players are only allowed at the team hotel, practice facility, and arena and are not allowed out at bars and restaurants.
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].