Kane joins Oilers after investigation clears forward of COVID-19 rule infraction

Evander Kane agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers, the NHL club announced Thursday night.

Earlier, the NHL cleared Kane after an investigation into his cross-border travel during the holiday break.

Contract details weren’t divulged but a person with knowledge of the deal said it comes with a US$750,000 salary and US$625,000 in bonuses. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of not being identified because the contract had not been announced.

Kane is expected to provide a boost for the Oilers, who who recently lost seven games in a row to fall out of playoff position in the Western Conference. But this was only possible after the NHL decided not to levy more discipline on the 30-year-old winger.

A law firm hired to conduct the investigation concluded there was not sufficient evidence to conclude Kane “knowingly made misrepresentations regarding his COVID-19 status or test results in connection with his international travel.”

Earlier this month, the Sharks terminated what was left of his US$49-million, seven-year contract for violating virus protocol while in the American Hockey League. San Jose terminating the contract cost Kane about US$22.9-million from the contract he signed in May, 2018.

The NHL Players’ Association filed a grievance on his behalf contesting the grounds of the termination.

The NHL in October suspended Kane 21 games for submitting a fake vaccine card. The Sharks put him on waivers to send him to the AHL, where the protocol violation occurred that led them to void the rest of his contract.

Despite those problems and going through three NHL organizations, there was plenty of interest in Kane, who is a twotime 30-goal scorer and has surpassed 20 in a season five other times. He had two goals and 27 assists for 49 points in 56 games last year with San Jose.

Previously, Kane was investigated by the NHL for allegations made by his estranged wife, Anna Kane, which included domestic violence and betting on NHL games. Evander Kane has admitted to a gambling problem but denied those particular accusations, and the NHL did not find evidence to support either claim.

Kane is eligible to play as soon as he signs. The Washington Capitals were also interested in Kane, Sportsnet reported.

A winger, Kane tallied 49 points (22 goals, 27 assists) in 56 games last season. In a 12-year NHL career spent with the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets franchise (2009-’15), the Buffalo Sabres (2015-’18) and San Jose, Kane has scored 264 goals and added 242 assists over 769 games.

He will be joining an Oilers team that features the past two Hart Trophy winners, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and trying to help an underperforming squad that was in sixth place in the Pacific Division entering Thursday.

“If he’s a part of our team it’s going to be exciting to have a player like that I would say,” Oilers forward Zach Hyman told reporters about the Kane rumours. “He’ll be a part of our team if he’s a part of our team.”

In a 12-year NHL career spent with the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets franchise (2009-’15), the Buffalo Sabres (2015-’18) and San Jose, Kane has scored 264 goals and added 242 assists over 769 games.