Sharks' Kane reveals loss of child in pregnancy

San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane announced that he and his wife recently lost a child during pregnancy.

Kane has not been with the Sharks for more than two weeks, initially because of a mid-body injury he suffered in late February. He then didn't join the team for this week's two-game road trip to Minnesota and Winnipeg for personal reasons, and he revealed why on Thursday.

"I would like to thank everyone who has reached out to my wife and I during this extremely difficult time," he wrote on Twitter. "Over the weekend, our daughter, Eva, at 26 weeks, passed away. As expecting parents, this past week has broken us.

"We've received a ton of support from family and friends, and we truly want to thank them. We would also like to thank our Sharks Family for their support, compassion and allowing me to be with my family during this time.

"Words cannot express how excited we were to welcome our baby girl into the world and watch her grow," Kane wrote. "Eva, you have been the absolute biggest blessing of our lives and we are so grateful for all the joy you brought us in such a short amount of time.

"You gave us all, especially your mom and I, something to be incredibly excited about. And though we are devastated that you couldn't stay with us longer, your mom and I will always cherish the time we had with your beautiful soul. Your spirit will give us strength, your love will give us comfort. We will love you forever."

The Sharks and NHL both tweeted condolences in response to Kane's message.

Kane skated with the Sharks on Thursday morning but will not face the Florida Pantherson Thursday night. Coach Peter DeBoer told reporters before Kane's announcement that the player was medically cleared to practice and could be available Saturday against the Nashville Predators.