San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane emphatically denied allegations made by his wife that he gambled on his own games and intentionally tried to lose to cash in on his wagers.
Kane posted two statements to Twitter on Sunday, one day after the allegations against him were made on an Instagram account that appears to belong to his wife, Anna. He referred to her as his “estranged” and “soon to be ex wife” in the statements.
“I have NEVER gambled/bet on Hockey, NEVER gambled/bet on a Sharks game, NEVER gambled/bet on any of my games and NEVER thrown a hockey game,” Kane wrote, in part. “The facts are I personally had my best season of my career last year and was the most consistent I’ve been throughout any season, I’m proud of that. I love the game of Hockey and would never do any of what was alleged.”
The NHL announced Saturday night that it will investigate the matter.
“The League was made aware this evening of a post on social media alleging that San Jose Sharks Player Evander Kane bet on NHL games,” the league said in a statement. “The integrity of our game is paramount and the League takes these allegations very seriously. We intend to conduct a full investigation and will have no further comment at this time.”
Kane said he would cooperate with the league. “I look forward to cooperating fully with the league’s investigation, having my name cleared and looking forward to this upcoming season,” he wrote.
In addition to calling Kane a “compulsive gambling addict” and accusing him of “obviously throwing games to win money,” Saturday’s Instagram post also alleged that Anna Kane had to sell her wedding ring to buy formula for the couple’s baby while Evander Kane partied in Europe.
“I love my daughter. I will and always have taken care of my daughter in every way possible,” Kane wrote Sunday. “I have always made sure her mother has had everything she’s needed and more. I have tried to de-escalate our divorce issues and be as civil and calm as anyone in this position could. I have tried to set up FaceTime calls and visits with her. I have had some FaceTime calls but not every day as I would like because of being restricted by her mom. She has refused me to see her and has unfortunately tried to use my daughter as leverage.”
Kane, 29, is entering the fourth season of a seven-year, $49 million deal.
He recorded 49 points (22 goals, 27 assists) in 56 games and an average of 20 minutes, 12 seconds of time on ice. His plus-minus rating for the season was minus-1.
His career plus-minus rating is minus-67 in 769 games with the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres and Sharks. He has 264 goals and 242 assists (506 points) in 12 seasons.
–Field Level Media
