San Jose Sharks respond to Evander Kane’s suspension

MONTREAL coaches and San Jose Sharks players on Tuesday expressed their disappointment at Evander Kane for violating the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols, but would not say whether he would be welcomed back into the team’s locker room.

The NHL on Monday suspended Kane in 21 unpaid games for submitting a fake COVID-19 vaccination card, meaning the forward is not eligible to play again until San Jose’s November 30 game in New Jersey against the Devils.

“We’re all disappointed with how he handled it,” coach Bob Boughner said Tuesday at the Bell Center, where the Sharks embark on a five-game road trip against the Canadiens. “The organization is disappointed, but something has happened and we can not change it. We must move on. We have a job to do. ”

The sharks have six weeks to decide how they want to handle Kane’s situation, as uncomfortable as it may be.

“He put himself in this situation,” Sharks defender Marc-Edouard Vlasic told reporters in French. “He has personal things to deal with; on our side we concentrate on hockey. ”

“It’s disappointing, of course, but it’s out of my control,” said Sharks captain Logan Couture when asked how disappointing it was to hear about the protocol breach. “It’s out of our control in the locker room.”

In a prepared statement after the league announced his suspension, Kane expressed remorse over his decision, but added that he looks forward to playing again.

From now on, it is unclear whether the Sharks will try to cancel the rest of his contract, which lasts until the end of the 2024-25 season and is still meant to pay him over $ 20 million.

“We have some time to deal with this. This becomes a decision made first by management and ownership. After that, it drips down, ”Boughner said. “We have not even brought it up, I have not had any discussions with management or ownership or anyone over it.”

Is there a way for Kane to return to this team?

“We’ll see when the suspension is over,” Vlasic said. “I am not able to say whether there is or not. My job is to help the team win on the ice. ”

Boughner, Couture and Timo Meier all said they have not spoken to Kane since the suspension was announced. After Tuesday, the sharks’ road trip subsequently stops in Ottawa, Toronto, Boston and Nashville.

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