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The Los Angeles Kings hired Marc Bergevin as a senior adviser to general manager Rob Blake, the team announced Sunday.

The ex-Montreal Canadiens GM was fired from his position in November after 10 years with the club.

"Marc brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our hockey operations staff and will be a valuable addition to our group," Blake said in a press release. "We look forward to his contributions."


Prior to joining the Canadiens, Bergevin spent seven seasons as an executive with the Chicago Blackhawks in numerous different roles, including assistant GM from 2011-12.

"I’ve enjoyed my time away, but I’m excited to join the LA Kings and become an active part of helping the team reach its objectives," Bergevin said. "I have a great amount of respect for (Kings president) Luc (Robitaille), Rob, and the staff they have in place and it’s an honor to provide my input to this highly regarded group."

Bergevin's time with the Canadiens was a mixed bag of success and hardship, but he ultimately led the club to a Stanley Cup Final berth last season. He consistently made big splashes in the trade market and free agency as one of the league's most active GMs.
 
Evander Kane cleared unconditional waivers Sunday, a day after the San Jose Sharks announced their intention to terminate his contract, according to TSN's Chris Johnston.

The Sharks placed the forward on waivers "for breach of his NHL Standard Player Contract and for violation of AHL COVID-19 protocols."

The NHLPA filed a grievance Sunday night to challenge the voiding of his contract, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.


Kane's agent, Dan Milstein, also intends to file a grievance, adding that he believes San Jose doesn't have "sufficient grounds for taking this action."

Kane is still eligible to sign with another club after clearing waivers, according to CapFriendly. However, it's unclear whether he'd be able to join another team during the grievance process.

The Sharks and the forward are at odds over a flight he took while in isolation as part of COVID-19 protocol - including whether he was allowed to fly - as well as when he'd return to the NHL squad, reports Friedman.

The 30-year-old cleared waivers in late November before reporting to the organization's AHL affiliate. Kane put up eight points in five games for the San Jose Barracuda.

Kane has been at the center of several controversies dating back to the summer, which culminated in a hefty 21-game suspension in mid-October after he violated the NHL's COVID-19 protocol.

The league cleared Kane in a September investigation focused on allegations from his estranged wife, Anna, that he gambled on NHL games.

It opened two subsequent probes looking into domestic abuse accusations made by Anna and Kane's alleged use of a fake vaccination card.

Reports also surfaced in August that Kane's teammates were frustrated by his behavior and didn't want him to return to the Sharks. He said in November the locker room's dissatisfaction was news to him.

Kane hadn't played with the Barracuda since late December after entering the AHL's COVID-19 protocol.

He was the Sharks' leading scorer last season with 49 points in 56 games. He was under contract with San Jose through the 2024-25 season on a deal that carried an annual cap hit of $7 million.

Pending the results of his grievance, Kane will forfeit $22,885,000 due to the termination. His cap hit for the remainder of the 2021-22 campaign and the following three seasons will come off the Sharks' books.

Kane has 264 goals and 242 assists in 769 career NHL games. He was drafted fourth overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009 and joined San Jose in the 2017-18 campaign.
 
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The Edmonton Oilers are among a list of NHL teams to express preliminary interest in unrestricted free-agent forward Evander Kane.

"What would I tell you is that the Edmonton Oilers, for example, I know are one of those teams that have kicked tires," TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Monday's episode of "That's Hockey." "Does that translate into a bonafide contract offer? I can't tell you that."

Kane became a UFA after the San Jose Sharks terminated the final four years of his contract Sunday. They placed him on unconditional waivers "for breach of his NHL Standard Player Contract and for violation of AHL COVID-19 protocols."


Sources told LeBrun that Kane is free to sign with any team whenever he wants, even while he's awaiting the result of the grievance the NHLPA reportedly filed on his behalf Sunday.

Dan Milstein, Kane's agent, told LeBrun on Monday that there's lots of interest in his client from a number of teams. LeBrun added that it'd be a one-year deal for the rest of the season.

Kane is coming off his most productive campaign on a per-game basis. The 30-year-old left winger led the Sharks with 49 points in 56 games a season ago. Throughout his 12-year career, he's averaged 28 goals and 25 assists per 82 contests. Kane is known for playing a physical power-forward style of game.

The Oilers have just two wins in their last 13 games and rank 11th in the Western Conference in points percentage. While preventing goals has been Edmonton's primary problem, the Oilers have also had an issue with secondary scoring, an area in which Kane could help.
 
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