NHL Suspends Sharks' Evander Kane 21 Games for COVID-19 Violation

Sharks' Kane suspended 21 games for violating COVID-19 protocols primitively appeared connected NBC Sports Bayarea

The Sharks gained a spot of clarity Monday erstwhile the NHL announced that guardant Evander Kane has been suspended 21 games for violating COVID-19 protocols.

"The National Hockey League announced contiguous that San Jose Sharks guardant Evander Kane has been suspended for 21 regular-season games, without pay, for an established usurpation of, and deficiency of compliance with, the NHL/NHLPA COVID-19 Protocol," the league wrote successful a statement. "Under the presumption of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the forfeited wage goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. Kane volition not beryllium eligible to play anterior to San Jose’s crippled connected Nov. 30 (at NJD)."

The NHL besides announced that its concurrent probe into allegations of home maltreatment made against Kane by his estranged wife, Deanna, could not beryllium substantiated. The league antecedently found nary evidence that Kane gambled connected NHL games, and considers some matters closed.

Kane, 30, reportedly was accused of using a fake COVID-19 vaccination card. In effect to the lengthy suspension, he issued a statement done the NHL Players' Association.

"I would similar to apologize to my teammates, the San Jose Sharks organization, and each Sharks fans for violating the NHL COVID protocols.  I made a mistake, 1 I sincerely regret and instrumentality work for.  During my suspension, I volition proceed to enactment successful counseling to assistance maine marque amended decisions successful the future.  When my suspension is over, I program to instrumentality to the crystal with large effort, determination, and emotion for the crippled of hockey."

The Sharks issued their ain squad statement:

"The NHL has advised our enactment that Evander Kane has been suspended without wage for 21 games for an established usurpation of, and deficiency of compliance with, the NHL/NHLPA COVID-19 Protocols.

"While we are encouraged by Evander’s committedness to moving forward, we are highly disappointed by his disregard for the wellness and information protocols enactment successful spot by the NHL and the NHLPA. We volition not beryllium commenting further connected Evander’s presumption anterior to the decision of the NHL’s mandated suspension."

Kane and the Sharks mutually agreed that helium would not enactment successful grooming campy "until further notice," and helium was not successful the lineup for San Jose's season-opening 4-3 win implicit the Winnipeg Jets connected Saturday. Now the Sharks cognize they'll beryllium without their starring scorer from past play for astatine slightest the adjacent 20 games.