Evander Kane’s wife, Anna Kane, made serious allegations against her hockey player husband, suggesting that he lost NHL games on purpose to support his alleged gambling addiction.
“How does the NHL let a compulsive gambling addict still play when he’s obviously throwing games to win money? Hmm maybe someone needs to address this,” Anna, 29, who says she is pregnant with the pair’s second child, wrote via Instagram Stories on Saturday, July 31, alongside a copy of Casino Gambling for Dummies. “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?”
Anna and Evander share 12-month-old daughter Kensington. According to reports, she filed for divorce on July 16, several months after he filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy in January amid his $27 million debt, per The Washington Post. On Saturday, she also alleged that the athlete “did not call or text” her for seven days while partying in Europe earlier this month.
“But at the same time, you tell me our house is being taken by the bank. But you do not come home to help your pregnant wife pack or help with anything at all, you have enough money to party and stay in hotels in Europe and go to dinners every night,” she claimed via Instagram Stories. “But I can’t buy my daughter formula and you force me to sell my wedding ring to survive as you party every day every night, never calling your daughter and never asking not even one time how I’m doing myself.”
The following day, Evander took to social media to defend himself, calling his estranged wife’s accusations “false.”
“I have NEVER gambled/bet on Hockey, NEVER gambled/bet on a Sharks game, NEVER gambled/bet on any of my games and NEVER thrown a hockey game,” he wrote on Sunday, August 1. “The facts are I personally had my best season of my career last year and was the most consistent I’ve been throughout any season, I’m proud of that. I love the game of Hockey and would never do any of what was alleged. I look forward to cooperating fully with the league’s investigation, having my name cleared and looking forward to this upcoming season.”
Anna’s claims prompted the NHL to launch an investigation, with the league telling ESPN: “The integrity of our game is paramount and the League takes these allegations very seriously.”
Evander’s manager, Karl Mullins, meanwhile, told The New York Post that he has “been advised not to say anything” regarding Anna’s claims, noting that the estranged spouses are “just having problems” and fans will hear more from Evander “after the investigation is complete.”
Evander followed up his initial statement by addressing Anna’s allegations about his parenting.
“I love my daughter. I will and always have taken care of my daughter in every way possible. I have always made sure her mother has had everything she’s needed and more,” he wrote on Sunday via Twitter. “I have tried to de-escalate our divorce issues and be as civil and calm as anyone in this position could. I have tried to set up FaceTime calls but not every day as I would like to because of being restricted by her mom. She has refused me to see her and had unfortunately tried to use my daughter as leverage. I will continue to always take care of my family, that goes without question.”
