Photo: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
According to Sportnet’s Elliotte Freidman, the Washington Capitals are considering signing unrestricted free agent left-wing Evander Kane, who’s contract was terminated by the San Jose Sharks on January 9. No contract has been offered yet.
HNIC reporting that the Washington Capitals have potential interest in Evander Kane.
— Mark Scheig (@markscheig) January 23, 2022
The 30-year-old has 264 goals and 506 points in 769 career regular-season game with the Sharks, Buffalo Sabres, and Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers but comes with some major off-ice issues. The Sharks terminated his contract after Kane travelled to Vancouver with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda while positive for COVID-19 despite the fact that he led the team in goals (22), assists (27), and points (49) in 56 games last season.
The NHL suspended Kane, who has hit the 20-goal mark seven times in his 11-season NHL career and 40-point mark eight, for 21 games after crossing the United States-Canada border while COVID-19 positive.
Despite his production, Kane is expected to cost around league-minimum due to his off-ice issues. With left-wing Anthony Mantha out indefinitely after undergoing shoulder surgery on November 5 and right-wing T.J. Oshie being limited to 18 out of 42 games this season due to numerous injuries, the need for some reinforcement is understandable even though the Capitals have had prospects such as centers Connor McMichael and Aliaksei Protas step up this season.
Despite the injuries in addition to missing center Nicklas Backstrom for 33 of them, the Capitals rank 10th in the NHL with an average of 3.27 goals-per-game. Kane also scored a career-high 14 power-play goals as recent as two seasons ago and has 47 career goals on the man advantage. The Capitals entered Saturday 30th in the league with a 15% power-play efficiency.
Kane can sign a contract and play this season until March 21, the NHL Trade Deadline.
The Sharks are scheduled to visit the Capitals on Wednesday. The Capitals will host the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday (7 PM ET, NBC Sports Washington locally, NHL Network nationally).
By Harrison Brown
Oh, hell no!
Really a guy with a rap sheet of problems. I rather think twice of signing him
no, no, no
He has been a terrible problem at each stop. He has problems off the ice. He is really bad PR.
McMichael only had 5:50 ice time tonight and I don’t believe he played the third at all. Protas was only slightly better. Why is Lavi not playing our rookies more? If there is a reason, tell us.
No. 10x no
I’ll never buy season tickets again. Kane is scum.
I fail to see what he would offer without bringing a ton of bad baggage.
Too much baggage. He could sink the entire room.
Look at all the racists. Very sad to see. Team needs a major shake up else another 1st round exit. And don’t trade for the very overrated Holtbust.
Nobody mentioned anything about race, only off ice issues and impact on the locker room chemistry. But you play the race card….unbelievable.
Everyone here crying about PR and off ice issues. IDGAF about any of that. If the guy can come in and produce on what is obviously a stretched-thin PP amongst other things, then his off ice issues are of no consequence to me. Go ahead and don’t buy your season tickets lol I’m sure that no one is gonna throw you going away party. Make room for people who wanna watch hockey and not play politics. I think Kane might actually do us well on the ice and that’s what matters in the long run.
You don’t sacrifice the culture to “win at all costs”. In business, you don’t hire warm bodies to fill positions; you bring in good talent that will work WITH THE EXISTING CULTURE. Otherwise it’s a hard pass. This is clearly a poor thought process and one that brings questionable wisdom to GMBM credibility.
Yea, we dont want Kane because he got a fake vax card for an overhyped disease.