Evander Kane will miss the start of the season due to an upcoming surgery.
Last season, he played through a sports hernia, which affected his performance and kept him out of five playoff games. It’s not clear if this new surgery is related to that injury.
Kane’s recovery will likely keep him out for at least the first 10 games and 24 days of the 2024-25 season. This means the Oilers can place him on long-term injured reserve, giving them some financial breathing room with his $5.125M cap hit. New GM Stan Bowman needs this flexibility since Edmonton’s roster is projected to be over the salary cap by more than $350K.
Roster and Cap Space:
The Oilers still need to sign RFAs Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway. Kane’s absence might have made him a trade candidate, but his no-movement clause through July 1, 2025, makes that difficult. Fans might wonder how this impacts team dynamics.
Kane has had a rough few seasons after initially impressing in Edmonton. Last year, he scored just 44 points in 77 games—his worst since the 2015-16 season. The previous year was also tough; he managed only 16 goals and 28 points in 41 games due to injuries.
Despite these struggles, Kane still finished fourth in goals (24) for the Oilers last year and led in hits (250). However, his average time on ice was just 16:47—the lowest since his rookie year with Atlanta Thrashers.
What do you think about Kane’s situation?
