'Ready to go': Evander Kane looks to make his mark as the newest Edmonton Oiler
Evander Kane says he’s ready to put his past behind him and make his mark as the newest Edmonton Oiler.
Kane, 30, was introduced to Edmonton media on Friday. The Vancouver native is with his fourth National Hockey League organization after his contract was voided by the San Jose Sharks three weeks ago.
"The team is ripe to win now and I thought I'd be a great fit,” Kane said of joining the Oilers.
“I’m really excited to be here. You’ve got two of the best players in the world here.”
Kane signed a one-year contract with a full no-move clause that will pay him close to $1 million for the remainder of the season, according to the team.
He recorded 49 points, including 22 goals, in 45 games last year for the Sharks.
NHL INVESTIGATIONS
That team ended its relationship with Kane after a number of issues that were investigating by the NHL.
Kane was released after the Sharks claimed he violated COVID-19 protocols while he was with the club's American Hockey League affiliate.
The NHL looked into allegations that Kane improperly crossed the Canada-U.S. border in December shortly after he tested positive for COVID-19.
He was suspended by the league for 21 games earlier in the season for submitting a fake COVID-19 vaccination card.
And, he had been accused of gambling on hockey and purposely losing games he bet on, as well as sexual and physical abuse from his estranged wife
Ultimately, the NHL ruled that Kane would not be disciplined and that he was "eligible to sign and play for any NHL Club without restriction."
"I'm not sitting here saying I'm perfect,” Kane said Friday. "I take responsibility for things that I've done wrong, but I'm definitely not going to take any responsibility for things I haven't done.”
“I've had a lot of experience on and off the ice ... and I tried to share those experiences with guys on the team and try to help prevent them from making those same mistakes that I have.”
‘DUE DILIGENCE’
General manager Ken Holland said the team is well aware of those past incidents, but that he believes in second chances.
"I've done my due diligence. I've talked to a lot of people,” Holland said.
“It's an important time for the Edmonton Oilers and it's an important time in Evanders' career so I think there's good motivation on all of our parts to have this workout in the best interests of everybody.”
Coach Dave Tippett described Kane as “a big strong player” and said he’ll play a key role in the weeks ahead.
"We're just very happy to have him join our team,” he said. “We'll go on the road. We'll work with each other and see where the best fit is."
Oilers fans won’t have to wait long to see the team’s latest signing on the ice. Kane is slated to be in the lineup for the team’s Saturday night game in Montreal against the Canadiens.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.