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An NHL investigation found “no evidence” San Jose Sharks star Evander Kane bet on his own games, allegations made by his estranged wife on social media over the summer.
Now, he faces a new set of allegations by Anna Kane — including sexual assault and multiple instances of domestic battery — leveled in court documents obtained by Front Office Sports. In a statement on Wednesday that announced the end of the gambling investigation, the league signaled the latest “allegations are being thoroughly investigated.”
The Sharks said in a statement Wednesday night that Kane and the team “have agreed that [Kane] will not be participating in Sharks 2021 Training Camp until further notice.”
The numerous new accusations came in a domestic violence restraining order application by Anna Kane as part of her divorce case in Santa Clara County, Calif. The application was filed on Tuesday.
“To be clear, Evander denies ever abusing Ms. Kane or their daughter Kensington, whom he cherishes,” Evander Kane’s attorney, Tracis Krepelka, wrote in a statement to FOS. “He recognizes that they have many years ahead of them as co-parents, during which they will have to work together, which makes it that much more frustrating that she has chosen this path. … As everyone knows, she has falsely accused him of betting on and throwing games”
The NHL launched an investigation into the gambling allegations made in a series of Instagram posts by Anna Kane in July. FOS learned earlier this month that that probe into Kane’s alleged gambling on NHL games had stalled and no irregular betting patterns on Sharks games were found.
The league announced in its statement Wednesday that the outside law firm hired to investigate Anna Kane’s betting claims “found no evidence to support those allegations, or allegations that Mr. Kane made any effort to negatively impact his own Club’s games.”
The investigation included an analysis of betting patterns on Sharks games over the last two-plus seasons with the assistance of Sportradar, according to the statement. The league said that analysis along with “interviews of those individuals most familiar with Mr. Kane’s on-ice performance over the past three seasons yielded no evidence to corroborate Ms. Kane’s allegations that her husband gambled on NHL games or ‘threw’ hockey games.”
But the latest allegations first reported by FOS appear to have sparked a new investigation of Kane.
“Additional unrelated allegations, however, involving potential wrongdoing by Mr. Kane have been brought to our attention,” the NHL’s statement continued. “These allegations are being thoroughly investigated and the National Hockey League will have no further comment regarding their substance pending completion of that process.”
Evander Kane has played 12 seasons in the NHL and is coming off one of his most productive seasons scoring-wise with 22 goals and 27 assists in a shortened 2020-21 season. The 30-year-old has four seasons left on a seven-year, $49 million contract.
The Athletic reported last month that several of Kane’s teammates didn’t want him back this season. His contract includes a limited no-move clause.
Evander Kane made a series of allegations as part of his bid for a protective order that was granted, in part, by the judge, according to documents obtained by FOS in August.
Evander Kane wrote in a court filing back in August that Anna Kane had assaulted him multiple times.
The two are battling for custody of their 1-year-old daughter. She’s pregnant with their second child, according to court documents.
Anna Kane wrote that there were “numerous other instances of Evander yelling and screaming at me or being physically aggressive toward me during our relationship.”
There were no new allegations related to sports betting in the filing, but Anna Kane alleged Evander “lost almost one million dollars” gambling as the Sharks played the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2018-19 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The form of gambling isn’t specified in the filing.
A Las Vegas-based source with knowledge of Kane’s gambling habits told FOS that poker is his game of choice.
In his January bankruptcy filing, Kane listed $1.5 million in gambling debts.
