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Sharks' Kane clears waivers, NHLPA reportedly files grievance

Brandon Magnus / National Hockey League / Getty

Evander Kane cleared unconditional waivers Sunday, a day after the San Jose Sharks announced their intention to terminate his contract, according to TSN's Chris Johnston.

The Sharks placed the forward on waivers "for breach of his NHL Standard Player Contract and for violation of AHL COVID-19 protocols."

The NHLPA filed a grievance Sunday night to challenge the voiding of his contract, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Kane's agent, Dan Milstein, also intends to file a grievance, adding that he believes San Jose doesn't have "sufficient grounds for taking this action."

Kane is still eligible to sign with another club after clearing waivers, according to CapFriendly. However, it's unclear whether he'd be able to join another team during the grievance process.

Milstein says there's lots of interest in Kane from a number of teams, per TSN's Pierre LeBrun. It'd be a one-year deal for the rest of the season if the left winger does latch on with another club.

The Sharks and the forward are at odds over a flight he took while in isolation as part of COVID-19 protocol - including whether he was allowed to fly - as well as when he'd return to San Jose's AHL affiliate, reports Friedman.

The 30-year-old cleared waivers in late November before reporting to the AHL club. Kane put up eight points in five games for the San Jose Barracuda.

Kane has been at the center of several controversies dating back to the summer, which culminated in a hefty 21-game suspension in mid-October after he violated the NHL's COVID-19 protocol.

The league cleared Kane in a September investigation focused on allegations from his estranged wife, Anna, that he gambled on NHL games.

It opened two subsequent probes looking into domestic abuse accusations made by Anna and Kane's alleged use of a fake vaccination card.

Reports also surfaced in August that Kane's teammates were frustrated by his behavior and didn't want him to return to the Sharks. He said in November the locker room's dissatisfaction was news to him.

Kane hadn't played with the Barracuda since late December after entering the AHL's COVID-19 protocol.

He was the Sharks' leading scorer last season with 49 points in 56 games. He was under contract with San Jose through the 2024-25 season on a deal that carried an annual cap hit of $7 million.

Pending the results of his grievance, Kane will forfeit $22,885,000 due to the termination. His cap hit for the remainder of the 2021-22 campaign and the following three seasons will come off the Sharks' books.

Kane has 264 goals and 242 assists in 769 career NHL games. He was drafted fourth overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009 and joined San Jose in the 2017-18 campaign.

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