Evander Kane's ESPN interview gets some poor reviews

Evander Kane sat down with Linda Cohn of ESPN this week to discuss the many controversies surrounding the member of the San Jose Sharks. A number of topics were raised, including his gambling, something he admitted to having a problem with in the past, although Kane insisted he no longers gambles at all. Kane also denied any accusations that he's ever gambled on NHL games, games he's played in or that he's ever intentionally thrown a game. While the interview did touch on several controversies, not everyone was happy with the outcome, with many giving it a thumbs down.

"Not asked: 'Have you ever requested a loan from a teammate so that you could gamble?'," said retired San Jose Sports Columnist Mark Purdy. "Also not asked: 'Have you ever violated a team rule or worried that your behavior alienates teammates?' I'd be interested in the answers to those questions."


Meanwhile, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic believes Kane made a serious error in the interview.


"What was newsworthy about the Evander Kane interview isn't what he said, it's what he didn't say," Kurz said. "This was a missed opportunity for him to signal to his teammates/organization that he's ready to come back, change his ways, and be a solid teammate. Instead, nothing's change."

Kurz is correct. Kane never mentioned anything in the interview about toning things down or trying not to be a distraction for his teammates. Instead, he seemed to duck any accountability at all when asked about reports that his teammates want him gone.

"It's easy to point the finger at me. I think it's easy to try and make me the scapegoat because of some of my personal issues that are playing out in the public. I think it's an easy cop-out. At the same time, I don't necessarily know or believe that that's true. So, when it comes to the media, I really take it with a grain of salt," said Kane when asked about potential issues with teammates.


There are several comments on social media saying he gave a bunch of "non-answers" and failed to address very important topics. Perhaps the publicity surrounding his issues have tarnished his reputation to the point where redemption is impossible in the eyes of fans.