Sharks’ Evander Kane denies wife’s allegations of game-fixing

Sharks forward Evander Kane on Sunday denied allegations made by his wife that he gambled on or tried to throw hockey games, including his own team’s games, and said he would cooperate with the National Hockey League’s investigation.

A day after Anna Kane used her Instagram account to say her husband bet on Sharks games, Evander Kane responded with two statements on his Twitter account, one to refute allegations of betting on his own team and another to address her claim that he has been a poor father to the couple’s young daughter.

“I have NEVER gambled/bet on Hockey, NEVER gambled/bet on a Sharks game, NEVER gambled/bet on any of my games and NEVER thrown a hockey game,” Kane wrote on Twitter. “The facts are I personally had my best season of my career last year and was the most consistent I’ve been throughout any season, I’m proud of that. I love the game of Hockey and would never do any of what was alleged.

“I look forward to cooperating fully with the league’s investigation, having my name cleared and looking forward to this upcoming season.”

According to ESPN, league officials will meet Monday to begin to decide who will conduct the investigation and what it will involve. The investigation, according to the network, is expected to be completed in September before the start of training camp.

The NHL on Saturday said it was aware of posts made by Anna Kane that alleged Kane’s gambling on hockey games, including one that read, “How does the NHL let a compulsive gambling addict still play when he’s obviously throwing games to win money? Hmm maybe someone needs to address this.

“Can someone ask (Commissioner) Gary Bettman how they can let a player gamble on his own games? Bet and win with bookies on his own games?”

After the NHL said it would launch an investigation, the Sharks issued a statement saying they had been in contact with the league about the matter and were supportive of its decision “to maintain the integrity of the game and consistency with our team values.”

In her posts, Anna Kane also alleges that her husband has abandoned her and their infant daughter and forced her to sell her wedding ring in order to meet her expenses. Their home has been foreclosed, she said.

Evander Kane said he and Anna are divorcing.

“I love my daughter,” Evander Kane wrote. “I will and always have taken care of my daughter in every way possible. I have always made sure her mother has had everything she’s needed and more. I have tried to de-escalate our divorce issues and be as civil and calm as anyone in this position could.

“I have tried to set up FaceTime calls but not every day as I would like to because of being restricted by her mom. She has refused me to see her and had unfortunately tried to use my daughter as leverage. I will continue to always take care of my family, that goes without question.”

Evander Kane added, “I would encourage people to realize that someone who goes to this length to try and jeopardize someone’s career with lies is mentally unwell. I hope this is the last time I will be publicly addressing any further misrepresentations of me as a father.”

Anna Kane fired back Sunday morning on her Instagram account, writing, “Everything Evander says is a calculated lie to make me look “crazy” I think mental help is needed after you lose every dollar you ever made gambling but continue to gamble and do not think you have a problem, and refuse any kind of therapy and continue to lie to the therapist who the Sharks force you to talk too! (sic).

“I’m embarrassed in every way that things are public,” she later wrote, “and I hope one day you realize that your GAMBLING is the problem. Not an ex-wife or anyone else.”

Questions about Kane’s betting surfaced in 2019 when The Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas sued him in regard to $500,000 in unpaid gambling debts. The suit was dropped in April of last year.

In January of this year, Kane filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy listing assets totaling just over $10.2 million and his liabilities at over $26.8 million. According to the petition, he lost $1.5 million due to gambling “at casino and via bookie (sports betting).”

Kane, who turns 30 on Monday, has four seasons remaining on the seven-year, $49 million deal he signed with the Sharks in May 2018. This past year was among his best in the NHL, as he led the Sharks in goals (22), assists (27) and points (49).