Former Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane is once again at the center of controversy after sharing comments on social media aimed at former U.S. health official Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Kane’s remarks came after reports emerged that Fauci had been held in contempt of Congress by a Republican-led Senate committee after invoking the Fifth Amendment on the advice of his legal team.
Former Oiler Evander Kane Draws Heat After Targeting Dr. Fauci
The former NHL forward used the moment to criticize vaccine mandates and the media’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Posting on X, Kane questioned the messaging surrounding vaccines during the pandemic.
“Imagine believing that someone else’s injection was supposed to protect someone who didn’t get one… and then calling other people the idiots. And acting like that was obvious science. And the media didn’t just repeat it, they amplified it, enforced it, and treated anyone who questioned it like they were dangerous,” Kane wrote.
The response was immediate, with several hockey personalities criticizing Kane’s stance.
Sportsnet senior columnist Mark Spector took a direct shot at the former Oilers forward, writing: “Imagine, Evander Kane with a selfish take.”
NHL analyst Austin Hockey was even more critical, arguing that Kane’s comments only reinforced the reputation he has developed over the years. “How the [expletive] is Evander Kane dumber off the ice than he was on the ice? Legitimately impressive stuff. The anti-vax crowd deserves to be shunned and ridiculed every single day for being absolute drags on society,” he wrote.
NHL insider Jimmy Murphy focused less on the substance of Kane’s comments and more on the player himself, questioning why his opinions continue to attract attention. “Imagine being one of the most overrated hockey players ever and then saying this?”
One fan added: “All the information in the world at your fingertips and you still choose to be uneducated for clicks.”
Much of the criticism directed at Kane stemmed from his own well-publicized history involving the league’s COVID-19 protocols.
Before the start of the 2021-22 season, the NHL investigated allegations that Kane had submitted a fake COVID-19 vaccination card. The league later suspended him for 21 games without pay.
Further allegations of protocol violations followed, leading the San Jose Sharks to terminate the remaining years of Kane’s seven-year, $49 million contract. The NHL Players’ Association subsequently filed a grievance on his behalf, and the dispute was eventually resolved through a financial settlement involving Kane, the Sharks, and the Oilers.
Now an unrestricted free agent, Kane once again finds himself drawing as much attention for events away from the rink as for his play on it.
There has never been much doubt about his ability as a player, but teams have often had to weigh his offensive production against the distractions that have followed him throughout his career. His latest comments have only intensified that debate.
Kane is actually smarter than all them. The jap was poison and it’s been proven. Why do you think the worm is pleasing the 5th if he has nothing to hide if he was telling the truth. Wake up sheeple………