Who would take a player with multiple covid violations (aside from a myriad of other issues) while the virus rampages through the country and there's speculation the league won't get through the season?
I agree that's the common narrative about Kane. He does have a reputation. He does have a history. And he may or may not be a good person.
But picking out the key actions in the story:
1. Gets on hot seat due to a tweet, league investigates, no conclusion because tweeter didn't respond
2. Gets suspended via a brief league statement, tweets afterward suggests the crime involved breaking protocol
3. Returns from suspension, goes to a lower league, goes on protocol, brief league statement says he broke protocol with no further details, contract terminated
Unless the league shares more details, the NHLPA protests any of the actions, or government investigates accusations of such wild behavior, the only concrete outcomes are:
1. His financial/legal situation likely benefits a lot
2. Sharks clear cap space
3. NHL doesn't have to talk about what crazy things players might do off the ice on road trips
This isn't to defend Kane as I'm pro-tank.
It's just an observation that amid the process and all these stories, the only real outcome is a win-win-win for player-team-league.
As for him playing this season: If an NHL team signs him, the paper trail just says that he violated protocol twice. The first time he paid for his crime via suspension. The second time he paid for it with contract termination. Unless the exact details come out, the new team just has to keep Kane out of the news and say he's been "following team rules and protocol."
And his new agent has a lot of Russian (in the NHL) clients. So, presumably the agent is plugged into available opportunities.