Report: Alex Ovechkin Called Evander Kane To Encourage Him To Sign With Capitals

The Washington Capitals were reportedly in the running for left wing Evander Kane’s services earlier in the season when the winger became a free agent, and Alex Ovechkin was also apparently in on the effort to get him to D.C.

Per matchtv.ru’s Pavel Lysenkov, the Capitals captain made a call to Kane to encourage him to sign with Washington. At that time, the Capitals were missing Anthony Mantha, struggling on the power play and lacking identity and consistency on the middle-6. Kane could have solved those issues and provided a boost on offense.

However, the bid apparently didn’t work, and Kane chose Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 27.

Kane had started the 2021-22 campaign with the San Jose Sharks following an offseason of scandals. His ex-wife alleged that he abused her and gambled on Sharks games. While an investigation cleared Kane, the league suspended him for 21 games after he allegedly falsified a COVID-19 vaccine card.

San Jose placed Kane on waivers on Nov. 30, and he reported to their AHL-affiliate Barracuda. Then, Kane breached his contract after violating COVID-19 protocols again and traveling to Canada while in protocol. The Sharks placed Kane on unconditional waivers and terminated his contract, and he became a free agent.

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In the end, Kane chose Edmonton and its high-octane offense powered by McDavid and Leon Draisaitl because it was a “great fit.”

“There were quite a few teams that expressed interest, especially early on. But as we continued the process, obviously for me, I had to make a decision that was gonna be the best fit for me,” Kane told reporters in January. “Those teams continued to dwindle down and we got to a number where obviously Edmonton was obviously in the mix. And the more conversations we had, and the further the process continued, it just became more and more evident that this was a great fit for me.”

Kane had a strong year with the Oilers, dishing 22 goals and 17 assists through 43 games. He also scored 13 goals in the playoffs as Edmonton advanced to the Western Conference Finals. However, the Colorado Avalanche swept the Oilers in four games.

Going into the summer, Kane is unsure whether or not he will return to the Oilers or explore the market. NHL Free Agency kicks off on July 13.