The NHL has suspended San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane for 21 regular season games without pay, for an established violation of, and lack of compliance with, the NHL/NHLPA COVID-19 Protocol. The league also released the following statement regarding the other allegations that were under investigation:
The National Hockey League also announced today that its concurrent investigation into allegations of domestic abuse made against Kane by his estranged wife, Deanna, could not be substantiated.
On October 6, Josh Dubow of the Associated Press reported that Kane was being investigated for allegations that he used a fake vaccination card. The league did not specify how the protocol was breached and indicated it would not comment further. Kane has already been away from the Sharks for the entire preseason as the investigations continued, and will now be ineligible to play for them until their game on November 30.
It has been an extremely tumultuous offseason for the Sharks and their star forward, as Kane has now been involved in three separate league investigations. Though he has been cleared in two of them, this long suspension means he won’t be able to help them for quite some time. Whether the two sides will reunite down the road is unclear, especially after a protocol violation that brought about this severe suspension.
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that Kane is not expected to appeal the suspension. Kane has released the following statement through the NHLPA:
I would like to apologize to my teammates, the San Jose Sharks organization and all Sharks fans for violating the NHL COVID protocols. 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.
The Sharks have released a statement of their own on the extended loss of one of their top players and notably will not comment again until after the suspension is over:
While we are encouraged by Evander’s commitment to moving forward, we are extremely disappointed by his disregard for the health and safety protocols put in place by the NHL and NHLPA.
So I’m just playing devil’s advocate here for a second: going forward, does this mean that every player who violates COVID protocols will be suspended 21 games? Because to my knowledge Kane is the first to be suspended for that, and the league didn’t say how he violated protocols. I mean, hopefully no other player ends up getting suspended for this, but if it happens again, the league is putting itself into a bit of a bind.
I think the difference is in this case they were able to prove he used a fake vaccine card to circumvent the protocols. At least, that’s what he was allegedly being accused of. To my knowledge, no other player has done that to this point.
If they acquire and use a fake vaccination card probably. That is an illegal activity by law. But I don’t think there’s any likelihood of an individual using one being charged.
At least one doctor or chiropractor sold thousands of fake cards (in Florida iirc). He might get charged with a crime.
I agree. If this is their way of making an example of Kane to show they are taking Covid seriously, so be it. I like it. If the next guy gets 2 games…
Tom Wilson’s usual M.O. gets him two games.
It’s not about breaking protocol it’s about using fraudulent vaccine cards to try and break the rules.
i’m wondering if this was some sort of “plea deal” with kane. now what i’m about to say is fully hypothetical and my personal outlook on the whole situation. i feel like this suspension was a plea deal because the nhl wanted to hammer kane but he was acquitted criminally and what evidence the nhl has is circumstantial and can be argued and tied up into court and possibly give the nhl a black eye like how the nfl deals with there suspensions. i feel like the nhl went to kane’s camp here is the deal you take the 21 for covid and don’t appeal will drop the domestic case if not will fight tooth and nail in court over it and it will look bad on both of us. imo i think the nhl is waiting on the gambling case to resolve to really hammer kane. to me this suspension is to buy some time for the nhl for the whole gambling thing come to a head. again this is all conjecture on my part and none of this is based on hard evidence.
BLACKJACK 21!!!!
@dave – Damn! Beat me to it! Double or nothing?
So guy violates the law by carrying a fake Covid card and then tries to pass it off to the NHL and gets 21 games? Considering how many people he endangered and carrying an illegal card the 21 games is a joke
considering what sports figures get for more clearly dangerous activities this is hardly getting off easy.
Calm down Susie, if that theory is even valid, the only one who would be in danger would be him right? Since he is unvaccinated…Shouldn’t all the vaccinated people be safe??? All unvaccinated people are taking the same risks…IMO it’s too much, 10 games okay make an example but, a quarter of the season I don’t know man.
Kane is a freedom fighter now, right?
Seems like a good time to remind that immuno-compromised people often do not produce enough of their own anti-bodies in response to the vaccines for them to work and they need to avoid being exposed to Covid to not die.
Also instead of standing up for his beliefs on the vaxx, he took the easy way out. Cowardly.
Not to defend Kane, but how many immuno-comprimised people are playing NHL hockey or otherwise in close contact with the players?
Kane is a lousy person and did a lousy thing here, but I hardly think he was endangering anyone.
Exactly. Hockey players, coaches and arena staff don’t have extended families.
Maybe you can shut all the doubters up by giving out a stat on how many pro hockey players, their families, coaches, their families, rink staffers and their families were affected by unvaxxed players spreading the virus? Spill the beans.
well there are only four active so…
Josh, are you not aware that vaccinated people shed viral load just as unvaxxed people do? In fact, a number of studies are showing that they may in fact be shedding viral loads at a greater rate than unvaxxed.
At peak, they do shed equal loads, yes. They shed these loads for a shorter duration of time and are less likely to get sick in the first place because they are vaccinated. So, overall, they pose a much lower risk to others.
Thus, the best way to protect the health of everyone, including those who can’t respond to vaccines, is for everyone who can do so to get vaccinated…if you care whether other people live and stuff.
I care. Also, all people should be forced to take antidepressants just in case they lose touch with reality and try to harm themselves or others.
A hockey site with tons of qualified scientists / medical doctors.
Gbear: I love this. How many studies? By whom?Have you read them yourself or are you referencing results reported by media outlets? Beware the certitude that begins with “In fact, a number of studies are showing. . . .”
How about you start with this. And yes, I have read quite a few of them and listened to some very long and laborious talks on the subject. Question is: have you?
link to brownstone.org
No, Josh, the best way to protect everyone is to do what we’ve always done in the past and that’s allow the healthy population to gain natural immunity. Vaccinating the healthy prevents this from happening.
Yep, worked so well with polio and smallpox and measles and mumps and rubella, etc. etc. etc.
And then vaccines came along and now polio and smallpox and the rest are spreading like wildfire.
Oh, wait, no…it’s the exact opposite. The exact opposite.
@josh for most diseases like the ones you mentioned (pox & polio) they were viruses that have a slow evolution rate, covid eco rate is like the flu, it evolves at a fast rate like the flu so it’s had to make a vaccine for because there always changing. i’m not against vaccination but not all vaccinations are equal and it’s really hard for me to wanna go get vaccinated for a disease that is constantly evolving where most of the vaccine isn’t even fda approved. now i’m going to play devils advocate here just like i wanna believe i’m younger (mid 30’s) and in good health (other than i drink and smoke) i’m willing to bet on myself and let my body fight it off and i’m sure most athletes feel the same, but if i was required to get the vaccine because my career depended on it i would, kane should of just bite the bullet and got the vaccine especially with all the other bs he is dealing with. this is more of a clubhouse thing than personal beliefs, because i’m sure there are guys on the sharks (or in the whole nhl) that didn’t want the vaccine but got it so they could get back to some sort of normalcy. i’ll get of my soap box now but imo sometimes in any career if you want to stay in that career at some point you have to swallow a lil pride and bite the bullet and follow the flow or find a new line of work.
not reallt shocking. the martial and betting things all seemed like slander. this? a little more realistic.
i think its a little harsh.that being said we dont know what he did but many players from all of sports have violated protocol and basically just got a slap on the wrist.
Random but…
Man, Philip Grubauer pulled a fast one on Ron Francis. He brought those shiny Avs numbers and got himself paid.
Kuemper, when healthy, is so much better. That rarely occurs, of course.
[chucles in Flyers fan]
It is way too early to be taking a stand on this hill this early. Yes, grubs her has always played on power house teams, but he’s put up good numbers the whole time. It doesn’t matter how good your team is as a goalie, you can’t fluke your way to a good save percentage year after year. I’m sure they’ll get the .920 save percentage goalie they signed, unless he pulls a total Bobrovsky and tanks after getting his money.
I hadn’t seen him play enough to form a solid opinion, but I hadn’t seen anything good from him.
Having seen at least part of each SEA game so far, I’ve seen enough. Mediocre goalie. Doesn’t make big saves. Not a fan.
Goalies be voodoo majik. Consistency is so rare as to be almost non-existent.
In my mind, 3 year signings at most.
It almost feels like they had something on him but couldnt prove/didnt want to go public so elected to shut him down with covid protocols breach cos 21gms seems too harsh. Pure politics stuff. Great guy all around: advocating for black guys matter one minute and using fake papers next. The guys such a hack and a shameless fraud i almost feel sympathy for how he fooled the league for so long
Is kind of ironic that the NHL was propping up Kane last year when it suited their purposes.
Evander Kane is challenging Kyrie Irving’s title as the biggest idiot in North American professional sports.
No comparison whatsoever. One person is taking a principled stand. The other seems to have no principles.
Now that is quite the competition.
Does Kane think the Earth is flat, too?
No he just thinks black puck and white ice is racist but thats called “normal” in 2021
Ah, the self righteous…
We’ll see who the idiots were in the long run.
Ban this NAPA from the NHL for life. Enough is enough.
Say what you will about Kane, he’s keeping people talking… just maybe for not the right reasons.
Feels like a kindness by the NHL to keep him out of the lineup for 25% of the season. Doesn’t sound like the rest of the team want him there anyways. NHL tossing San Jose a bone?
Unpopular opinion here, Kane may not be a good teammate.
Exactly. Addition by subtraction by SJS
“I made a mistake” GTFOH. Utilizing a fake vaccination card isn’t a mistake, it’s a conscious choice in an attempt of deceit. Punishment isn’t harsh enough.