SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 14: Edmonton Oilers’ Evander Kane (91) skates on the ice throughout warmups earlier than their sport in opposition to the San Jose Sharks on the SAP Heart in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
SAN JOSE – Evander Kane had no thought what sort of reception he was going to get at SAP Heart on Monday night time when he and the Edmonton Oilers performed the Sharks in a key Pacific Division sport.
Nor did he notably care.
“It most likely issues to you guys greater than it issues to me,” Kane mentioned Monday morning.
Kane, as soon as wildly cheered contained in the downtown enviornment for his goal-scoring prowess and willingness to face up for teammates, acquired a smattering of boos from the few hundred followers that had been of their seats for the pregame warmups for every workforce half-hour earlier than puck drop.
Kane spent near 4 full seasons within the Sharks group earlier than he had what was left on his seven-year, $49 million contract terminated by the NHL workforce final month for what it believed was a breach of his contract and a violation of AHL protocol.
The NHL Gamers’ Affiliation filed a grievance on Kane’s behalf, feeling the Sharks didn't have enough grounds to terminate, and the case will go earlier than an impartial arbitrator until it's settled beforehand.
Nonetheless, it was an disagreeable separation, one which Kane and the Sharks appeared prepared to maneuver on from.
After he turned a free agent, Kane signed a one-year contract with the Oilers on Jan. 27. He has 4 factors in six video games and began Monday’s sport with the Sharks on a line with Leon Draisaitl, the 2020 Hart Trophy winner, and fellow winger Kailer Yamamoto.
“It’s humorous, the coaches requested me that (Sunday), and I actually haven’t given it a lot thought to it,” Kane mentioned when requested about his return. “I’m simply trying ahead to getting on the market and getting a win.”
“I’ve been nothing however impressed with Evander Kane,” mentioned new Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft, who was an assistant coach with the Sharks from 2008 to 2015 on Todd McLellan’s workers. “He’s single-minded in his goal and that’s to get a win tonight for the Edmonton Oilers, and that’s what he’s about.”
Love ❤️ Is within the air. pic.twitter.com/n3VUh9LRyn
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Kane mentioned it didn’t really feel awkward to play the Sharks with the grievance nonetheless to be determined.
“Truthfully, not likely,” Kane mentioned. “Like I mentioned, I sort of moved on. I’m glad the place I’m at and searching ahead to the sport tonight.”
Kane led the Sharks final season with 22 targets and 49 factors however reviews emerged that friction had constructed up between Kane and his teammates, to the purpose the place some gamers indicated to administration that they now not wished Kane on the workforce.
As Kane’s return neared, Sharks coaches, administration, and gamers have all been requested why these variations couldn't have been labored out between the group and one in every of its most proficient gamers.
“It’s only a determination that we made,” Sharks assistant basic supervisor Joe Will mentioned final week. “Arguably, it perhaps even went slightly bit too lengthy. I don’t know. It’s one thing that we’ve moved on from, (our) workforce has responded and so they play a extremely exhausting workforce sport proper now.” 
“I do not know. In case you’re going to ask somebody, ask him,” Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic mentioned of Kane. “He’s not right here, so he would know higher than anyone why it didn’t work out. Hopefully, it really works out for him in Edmonton. I want him all the perfect.”
Kane, too, wasn’t all for revisiting the latest previous, saying, “we’ve continued to beat this lifeless horse over and time and again.”
Some followers have moved on, too.
Sisters Christina Mendoza and Michelle Carrasco are Sharks season ticket holders who wore matching Kane Sharks jerseys and carried indicators to Monday’s sport.
Carrasco’s signal welcomed Kane again to the Bay and Mendoza’s signal requested Kane to be her valentine. The pair mentioned they miss him in San Jose.
“All of the vibes that he brings. He introduced loads of power to the workforce,” mentioned Christina Mendoza of San Jose.
They know all in regards to the “drama” surrounding Kane, however none of it impacted their fandom.
“We love him both manner,” Carrasco mentioned. “That’s his private life, and it’s out within the open. He’s a star. We don’t care in regards to the private stuff. His hockey is all that issues.”
Employees author Shayna Rubin contributed to this story. 
