Its official: Evander Kane will undergo surgery for a sports hernia he suffered last season. Before the playoffs started, Kane stated that he’d been dealing with it all season, so it should come as no surprise that this is the outcome. Kane has two years left on his deal with a cap hit of $5.125 million.
Kane played 77 regular season games last season, tallying 24 goals and 44 points. He also added four goals and eight points in 20 playoff games. Despite scoring 24 goals in the regular season, he was a non-factor in too many games; he was held goalless for a 21-game stretch and his lack of production and consistency could be attributed to his sports hernia issue. Kane is at his best and most effective when he is physical and forechecks hard. Due to the injury, he wasn’t able to play his physical style.
Related: Evander Kane Dealing with Nagging Sports Hernia Injury
Kane seemed to re-aggravate his injury in the game 6 of the Western Conference Final. He did play the first two games against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final before ultimately being sidelined for the rest of the series. It is puzzling why this announcement came days before the start of training camp. It should have been dealt with shortly after the playoffs concluded.
Kane’s departure leaves a gaping hole in the Oilers’ top nine. The British Columbia native provides a scoring touch on the third line that will now have to be filled by Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown. It is not easy losing a perennial 20-goal scorer. That’s why the acquisitions of Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner were so crucial. They will help the secondary scoring in Kane’s absence.
What Do the Oilers Do With Kane?
Now the question is what do the Oilers do once Kane returns from this injury? The answer to this question is dependent on his recovery. There is currently no timetable for how long his recovery could take, which makes it extremely difficult for the organization to plan ahead. However, there are a few options at their disposal when he inevitably returns to the lineup.
Keep Him on the Active Roster
Despite his surgery, Kane will start the season on the Oilers’ cap-compliment roster. This will allow the Oilers to accrue up to $4.4 million in cap space before the trade deadline. By keeping him on the roster, they are eliminating the financial risk of placing him on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) until they have a better idea of his status moving forward. If they place him on LTIR and use that cap hit on a new acquisition, the Oilers will be forced to shed salary via trade if Kane returns before the playoffs. That is not a risk the organization should be willing to take.
Find a Trade Partner
Kane currently has a no movement clause (NMC) in his contract, meaning he cannot be sent to the minors, waived, or traded without his approval. However, on March 1, 2025, that NMC becomes a modified NMC and Kane submits a 16-team trade list. This is significant because the trade deadline is March 7, 2025, a few days after this modified NMC kicks in. The 2009 fourth-overall pick can be traded to any team on his 16 team list, and the Oilers could very well free up salary by trading the 33-year old winger when he returns from injury. If there is no trade in place by the deadline, the Oilers could trade him in the offseason or buy out the last year of his contract.
Place Him on LTIR
If Kane will be on the shelf until the middle of April, LTIR is the most logical route to take. While he will start the season on the active roster, he can be placed on LTIR at any time. This move will allow the Oilers to take his $5.125 million cap hit off the books. They will be able to spend that money at the trade deadline, preferably on a right-shot, top-four defender. The organization would then be able to activate Kane in the playoffs without needing to be cap compliant. This is the path many Oilers fans want the team to take. However, it all depends on when he gets cleared. If he gets cleared before the playoffs, he will need to play, which will eliminate this option.
At the end of the day, this surgery is much needed and the health of the player should be the top priority. Hopefully, Kane can get himself right and be a major contributor for the team come playoff time. When he’s on his game, there are not many power forwards better. A healthy Kane is a productive one.
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