NHL star Evander Kane on Sunday insisted that his pregnant wife’s scathing claims that he’s a gambling addict who threw games for profit were “lies” — and said that she was trying to “jeopardize” his career now that they’re headed for divorce.
The San Jose Sharks forward blasted the allegations from Anna Kane, whom he referred to as his “soon-to-be ex-wife.”
“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,” he wrote on Twitter.
Kane said he was speaking out against the advice of his legal team because he “felt strongly that the public and fans hear this directly from me.”
“I have NEVER gambled/bet on Hockey, NEVER gambled/bet on a Sharks game, NEVER gambled/bet on any of my games and NEVER thown a hockey game,” Kane wrote.
The Sharks forward pointed out that he “personally had my best season of my career last year and was the most consistent I’ve been throughout any season.”
“I love the game of Hockey and would never do any of what was alleged. I love forward to cooperating with the league’s investigation, having my name fully cleared and looking forward to this upcoming season,” he said.
His wife, Anna, blasted his response Sunday on her Instagram story, saying everything was a “calculated lie to make [her] look ‘crazy'” and that their marital issues stemmed from his alleged gambling problem.
“When you were flying to different cities this year on OFF days with criminals to count cards at random casinos and told me the people that you are gambling with would kill me and Kensington if I told anyone,” she wrote, referring to the couple’s daughter.
“So I was supposed to let you gamble, cheat on me with prostitutes and be ok with that life. Sorry these are facts.”
The National Hockey League said Saturday that it had launched an investigation into the allegations after the athlete’s wife first shared a series of blistering Instagram stories.
“How does the NHL let a compulsive gambling addict still play when he’s obviously throwing games to win money?” she wrote in one Instagram story. “Hmm maybe someone needs to address this.”
In another Instagram post, Anna appeared to suggest that he gambled on his own games.
“Can someone ask (Commissioner) Gary Bettman how they let a player gamble on his own games? Bet and win with bookies on his own games?” she wrote.
His wife also described that how the bank seized their home and claimed the athlete abandoned her and their daughter while she was pregnant.
“So you leave July 8th. You do not call or text at all for 7 days. Then you inform me you are going to Europe for a vacation must be nice, but at the same time tell me our house is being taken by the bank,” she wrote.
“I don’t know if there are even words to describe the kind of evil person that you are to abandon your wife who is pregnant with your son and your one year old daughter,” she wrote.
The Sharks forward, however, insisted Sunday that Anna was keeping him from his daughter.
“I have had some FaceTime calls but not every day. I would like to because of being restricted by her mom. She has refused me to see her and has unfortunately tried to use my daughter as leverage,” he said.
But his wife fired back Sunday that he’s neglected his family responsibilities for gambling.
“I asked him to go to therapy, but he told me it’s not important for us to try to save our marriage,” she said.
“He doesn’t want to get help, he doesn’t want to be a real man and father. He wants to be able to gamble and live freely.”
