The National Hockey League (NHL) has launched an investigation into San Jose Sharks’ Evander Kane following claims he placed bets on NHL games.
Anna Kane, Kane’s wife, made the allegations in an Instagram post, claiming that the Sharks player is “obviously throwing games to win money”.
In response, the NHL said in a statement: “The League was made aware this evening of a post on social media alleging that San Jose Sharks Player Evander Kane bet on NHL games. The integrity of our game is paramount and the League takes these allegations very seriously.
“We intend to conduct a full investigation and will have no further comment at this time.”
Through a statement on his own Twitter account, Kane has denied any wrongdoing. He said: “I have never gambled on hockey, never gambled on a Sharks game, never gambled on any of my games and never thrown a hockey game.
“I love the game of hockey and would never do any of what was alleged. I look forward to co-operating fully with the league’s investigation, having my name cleared and looking forward to this upcoming season.”
A spokesperson for the Sharks added: “The San Jose Sharks have been in contact today with the National Hockey League about the serious allegations made against Evander Kane. We support a full and transparent investigation into the situation to maintain the integrity of the game and consistency with our team values.”