from Matt Porter of the Boston Globe,

A few months back, one agent who has clients on the Sharks said of Evander Kane’s off-putting personality: “That guy walks into a room and the flowers wilt.”

The Athletic reported this past week that several of Kane’s San Jose teammates don’t want to play with him despite his production (team-high 22 goals and 49 points in 56 games last season). This comes on the heels of allegations from Kane’s estranged wife that he bet on games he played in.

When filing for bankruptcy in January, Kane, 30, claimed gambling losses of $1.5 million over the previous year. The collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and NHLPA prohibits gambling on any NHL game. A reminder is posted in every dressing room.

But count me as skeptical that Kane, who has made no secret of his love for gambling, was throwing Sharks games. He certainly wasn’t betting on them to lose, given the season he submitted. It’s difficult to see how one left wing could so greatly affect the performance of 17 other skaters and a goalie.

The Sharks are in a tough spot. Kane makes $7 million each of the next four years, with a three-team trade list. They have $26.5 million in cap space tied up in Brent Burns (unrestricted free agent in 2025), Marc-Edouard Vlasic (2026), and Erik Karlsson (2027). A prudent move would be to deal UFA-to-be Tomas Hertl, rather than give the 27-year-old a raise on his expiring $5.625 million deal.

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