Oilers’ Evander Kane hit with tough injury return timeline following surgery

The Edmonton Oilers are looking for revenge after their brutal Game 7 defeat in the Stanley Cup Final. They went most of the Final without forward Evander Kane, who had multiple injuries, including hip adductors and abdominal issues. After attempting to rehab through the summer, Kane underwent surgery in late September. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that he won’t be back until the new year.

“Evander Kane had his surgery Friday in NYC. No exact timeline for recovery, but not expected to be available until January/February.”

Kane and his $5.125 million cap hit will start the season on Long Term Injured Reserve (LTIR). Teams have taken advantage of season-ending injuries and used the cap relief to improve their team.

The Oilers will not be able to do that, as they need to keep space open for Kane when he returns. General manager Stan Bowman was running the Blackhawks when they pulled this trick with Patrick Kane.

Oilers’ future without Evander Kane

The Oilers will be just fine at forward without Evander Kane, as they have two of the best players in the league on their team. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will be able to carry the team through the first half of the season. When Kane comes back, they should be in a great position to win their division and make the playoffs again.

The surgery may be a good thing long-term for the Oilers. Their depth scoring has been an issue for as long as McDavid and Draisaitl have been around. With their high salaries, it is hard to develop a deep team that breeds playoff success. Draisaitl’s mega-extension kicks in next season and McDavid is due for one soon. A fresh Kane gives them one last crack at the Cup before the salary cap crunch becomes very real.

With Evander Kane on LTIR, the Oilers will lean on Jeff Skinner to produce on offense. With plenty of players leaving after the season, expect the new addition to shine in his new role.

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