Vegas Golden Knights enforcer, Ryan Reaves, isn’t the only person in Las Vegas who has a beef with San Jose Sharks left winger, Evander Kane. Officials at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas filed a lawsuit against Kane, alleging the professional hockey player owes $500,000 in gambling markers the casino issued him in April.
In court documents filed Monday with the Clark County District Court, lawyers for the casino said Kane took out eight markers of between $20,000 and $100,000 each last April when the Sharks were in town to play the Golden Knights in the first round of the playoffs. The Sharks won the series on a controversial call by referees in seven games.
The resort is seeking restitution for the half-million dollars in markers, plus legal fees. They did not offer a comment when contacted by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, who first reported the story.
Evander Kane No Stranger to Trouble
This is not the first time the 28-year-old hockey star has been the cause of controversy. When Kane was with Buffalo in 2016, he was arrested after police said he grabbed three women by their hair and necks during separate altercations on the same night at a Buffalo bar.
Kane accepted a plea agreement where the charges were dropped in exchange for a promise that he stay out of further legal trouble.
Avoiding mischief on the ice is another story, however. Kane has a reputation for throwing cheap shots, especially in games against the Golden Knights. In Game 3 of last season’s playoffs, he and Ryan Reaves got into a brawl late in the third period.
One game later, Kane sucker punched Colin Miller. He was ejected. This preseason, Kane earned a three-game suspension after a scrap with Golden Knights defenseman, Deryk Engelland. During that melee, he made contact with a referee, putting him on the bench for three games, including the season opener against the Knights.
“I get kicked out of the game for getting jumped from behind by a referee. I’ve never seen a ref take five strides,†Kane said. “If you look at his face, he’s getting all this power and he’s trying to drive me into the ice, which is what he did. That’s unbelievable. Talk about abuse of an official? How about abuse of a player? It’s an absolute joke.â€
Problems with NHL Only Beginning
Kane could be in more trouble with the league because of the lawsuit with the Cosmopolitan. Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement between the players and the NHL, the league has the power to “fine, suspend or even void a contract based on the severity of off-ice transgressions regarding gambling.”
In 2006, Arizona Coyotes associate coach Rick Tocchet was banished from the league for two years for his role in a New Jersey-based gambling ring.
It is unlikely Kane will face a ban, but he might get a hefty suspension for his actions. So far, neither the league nor Kane have not commented on the matter.