The Toronto Maple Leafs Should Not Sign Evander Kane
There is no denying Kane is a great hockey player. He’s a power forward who’s consistently produced at a top-six rate and would be a wonderful addition to any hockey team on the ice. Yet, between Covid violations, many allegations of poor/criminal conduct, and a laundry list of locker room problems, it’s just not worth it for the Toronto Maple Leafs to take that risk.
Evander Kane constantly finds himself on the wrong side of allegations and scandals. It’d be different if it was a one-off claim that came out of nowhere but Kane is almost always in the press and it’s usually never a good thing.
Regardless of what you believe, the Leafs are supposed to be a model organization. They’re an original six club with a storied history and a massive fanbase. Signing him could be a slap in the face to many fans who have been victims of similar things Kane has been alleged to have done.
Even from a business standpoint, the Leafs and MLSE are a billion dollar organization that routinely sits at or near the top in terms of dollar value amongst NHL teams. Taking a chance on a player like Kane harms the sport and could harm the organization, especially if things go south. It isn’t a smart investment from a business point of view and more importantly, from a personal and moral point of view.
If the Leafs truly want to be seen as a progressive organization, which they’ve clearly tried to position themselves as, they won’t sign Evander Kane. They won’t continue to feed into the culture that routinely turns it’s back on victims and supports players no matter what.