Last month, the San Jose Sharks terminated the contract of borderline Hall of Fame forward Evander Kane. Kane had previously signed a seven-year $49 million contract with the Sharks. He was in the middle of year four before being released. He had served a 21-game suspension for submitting a fake vaccination card. Kane was then sent down to the AHL before being terminated. However, it appears Kane is getting a second chance with the Edmonton Oilers.
Official ✍️
The #Oilers have agreed to terms with forward Evander Kane on a one-year contract. #LetsGoOilers
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 28, 2022
The Edmonton Oilers have reportedly reached a deal with Kane's agent. He will play the remainder of the 2021-2022 NHL season for Edmonton on a 1-year deal.
The agreement concluded with the NHL clearing Kane from past violations of COVID-19 protocols. The NHL stated on Thursday that the investigation concluded there was “insufficient evidence to conclusively find that Mr. Kane knowingly made misrepresentations regarding his COVID-19 status or test results in connection with his international travel.”
The Sharks previously stated that Kane was vaccinated before they reinstated him.
The deal with Edmonton reportedly comes with a $2.1 million cap hit for the Oilers this season. It comes with a $625,000 signing bonus and a base salary of $750,000.
Despite the off-ice issues, Kane can still play elite level hockey. He will bring a physical, imposing presence to the Oilers who have often been criticized for being too finesse.
Edmonton has massively underwhelmed this season. The Oilers are 21-16-2, near the bottom of the Pacific Division. That's despite having two of the best goal scorers in the world in Conor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Kane is expected to join the team next week.