Sharks prepared to start regular season without Kane
SAN JOSE » When it came time for Kevin Labanc to provide proof that he had been vaccinated against COVID-19, the Sharks winger simply showed his CDC vaccination card to one of the team’s trainers and was on his way.
“There’s not much more to it than that,” Labanc said Wednesday.
The process is proving to be less simple for Sharks forward Evander Kane, who is facing two investigations by the NHL, including one for reportedly using a fake COVID-19 vaccination card.
Using or making a fake vaccine card is illegal in both the United States and Canada, and the NHL could issue sanctions against Kane if the investigation determines that he submitted a counterfeit card.
The NHL’s other investigation involves accusations of physical and sexual abuse raised by his wife in a recent court filing.
Bill Daly, the league’s deputy commissioner, said the league does not have a timetable for when either investigation will be concluded.
For now, it appears the Sharks are preparing as if they’ll start the regular season in 10 days without Kane, who is staying away from training camp.
The Sharks play their final
preseason game Saturday at home against the Vegas Golden Knights, then open the regular season on Oct. 16 at home against the Winnipeg Jets.
The Sharks must finalize their 23-man roster by Monday at 2 p.m., and there’s been no indication so far about how they will proceed with Kane, who remains on the team’s training camp roster.
Baseball
PADRES FIRE MANGER JAYCE
TINGLER AFTER SECONDHALF COLLAPSE » The San Diego Padres still believe they have a World Seriescaliber team despite a brutal late-season collapse that left them with yet another losing record.
If the Padres do make it to the Fall Classic in the near future, it won’t be manager Jayce Tingler who leads
them there.
The Padres fired Tingler on Wednesday, three days after they finished 7983 and in third place in the NL West, 28 games behind San Francisco.
General manager A.J. Preller said Tingler — who just a season ago was second in voting for NL Manager of the Year — would be given the opportunity to remain in the organization.
Basketball 18 EX-NBA PLAYERS CHARGED IN $4M HEALTH
CARE FRAUD SCHEME » Eighteen former NBA players were charged Thursday with pocketing about $2.5 million illegally by defrauding the league’s health and welfare benefit plan in a scam that authorities said involved claiming fictitious medical and dental expenses.
“The defendants’ playbook involved fraud and deception,” U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss told a news conference after FBI agents across the country arrested 15 ex-players and one of their wives in a three-year conspiracy that authorities say started in 2017.
Soccer
MBAPPÉ INSPIRES COMEBACK AS FRANCE BEATS BELGIUM 3-2 » Kylian Mbappé redeemed himself with a goal and an assist as France came from two goals down to beat Belgium and reach the Nations League final.
Theo Hernández scored the last-minute winner to complete the comeback and send world champion France through to Sunday’s final against Spain.
Golf KO HAS EARLY LEAD AT FOUNDERS CUP, 11 STRAIGHT
ROUNDS IN 60S » Jin Young Ko put a tough loss behind her quickly and ran off six birdies over a seven-hole stretch on the back nine for an 8-under 63 to build an early three-shot lead in the Cognizant Founders Cup.
It was her 11th consecutive round in the 60s, three short of the record that Annika Sorenstam set in 2005.
Sandra Gal had a 66 despite not making birdie on any of the par 5s at Mountain Ridge.