The San Jose Sharks have placed forward Evander Kane on waivers on Sunday and plan to send him to the AHL if he isn’t claimed by another team. Kane’s 21-game suspension for submitting a fake vaccination card is set to expire after the Sharks play the Blackhawks on Sunday night.
Kane has also switched agents recently. The winger now represented by Dan Milstein of Gold Star Sports, Milstein confirmed to ESPN on Sunday. According to sources, Milstein is calling other teams on Kane’s behalf, trying to help facilitate a trade for his new client. Sources tell ESPN that the Sharks are willing to retain some of Kane’s $7 million annual salary, but it will still be a tough market. Milstein declined to comment on any trade talks.
The Sharks say that Kane is now fully vaccinated. If Kane clears waivers, he is expected to report to the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL on Tuesday. It is uncertain when Kane will be ready to play, assistant GM Joe Will told reporters on Sunday.
Will, filling in while general manager Doug Wilson is on medical leave, said that putting Kane on waivers gives the team flexibility before determining what it wants to do with Kane going forward.
Kane, 30, is three seasons into a $49 million, seven-year contract. He’s with his third organization after being drafted by and debuting with Atlanta/Winnipeg, and a stint in Buffalo. Last season, he had 22 goals and 27 assists in 56 games.
At the time of Kane’s suspension, the NHL was also investigating allegations of domestic assault made by his estranged wife, Anna Kane, in a recent divorce filing. In announcing the 21-game suspension, the NHL said that “its concurrent investigation into allegations of domestic abuse made against Kane by his estranged wife, [Anna], could not be substantiated.”
Kane also was accused by Anna Kane of betting on NHL games, including his own games with the Sharks, whose outcomes she claimed he intentionally sought to influence for his benefit. The NHL investigated the claims and cleared Kane, saying it found no evidence that he bet on hockey.
Amid the investigations, Kane — even before the suspension — was told by the Sharks not to report to training camp. Sources tell ESPN that multiple players in the Sharks locker room do not want Kane to return to the team. Kane did not practice with the team or interact with teammates at the facility during his 21-game suspension.