In the span of just over a week, three Winnipeg Jets have left their European hockey teams — the most recent being Evander Kane.
Kane, much like Ondrej Pavelec had struggled to make the adjustment to the KHL game, registering only 1 goal and a -8 rating in the twelve games he played in the Belarus capital. It was for this reason that both the player and the team sides parted ways earlier today, as noted by Minsk’s Athletic Director Igor Matushkin.
The following quote from Matushkin is translated from Dinamo's official website:
"Unfortunately, Evander Kane could not adapt to hockey in the KHL. I had several conversations with the player, explained the requirements in the team and our vision of his role in it. Unfortunately, not adequately understood and saw progress in the game. It was therefore decided, with shared, stop working by agreement. Despite the differences in hockey matters, the parties parted without insults and complaints. I wish success to Kane in his future career."
For Kane, as was the case with Jets’ defenseman Tobias Enstrom, it’s currently unclear if or when he will resurface in Europe. But with NHL owners now suggesting they should take another break from CBA negotiations, dreams of their return to the NHL seems far off in the distant future.
Kudos to @horaxhorax for providing us the link.
