Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane underwent successful surgery this week to address a series of injuries, including two torn hip adductor muscles, two hernias, and two torn lower abdominal muscles. These injuries stem from Kane playing through a sports hernia last season. While the procedure was successful, Kane acknowledges that he has a “long road to recovery” ahead.
What makes his road to recovery even more problematic for the Oilers is that he’ll miss most, but probably not all of the regular season. That creates complications for the team when it comes to potentially placing Kane on LTIR and using his salary to fill holes on the roster. It’s not impossible, but it’s less likely if the team knows his contract has to be accounted for sometime later in the season.
Although Kane is facing an extended recovery, the Oilers do not expect this to be a season-long absence. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported on his 32 Thoughts podcast that the Oilers do not believe Kane’s injury will result in long-term injured reserve (LTIR) placement for the entire season. Friedman stressed that while there’s always a chance for setbacks, the current belief is that Kane will return before the playoffs. For those that aren’t aware, if Kane were out all year, but healthy for the playoffs, his $5.25 million cap wouldn’t count against the Oilers’ roster and he could return in the postseason with the Oilers essentially adding one or two extra players totaling that $5.25 million, and having Kane for a playoff push.
Kane’s playoff success is well-documented, and the Oilers will need him healthy for another deep postseason run. For now, the team and fans can take solace in the fact that Kane’s surgery was a success, though his return to the ice will require patience as he works his way back to full health.
Kane Needs to Get Back To Full Health, Which Has Been A Consistent Issue for Him
Kane’s health has been a regular concern for the Oilers, given his importance to the team, especially in the postseason. Throughout his career, Kane has faced numerous injuries, including cracked ribs, ankle injuries, and a wrist cut that kept him out for an extended period after being stepped on by Patrick Maroon. This latest injury might take the longest to recover from and the Oilers will certainly miss him.
He has been a big part of the recent success of the Oilers, contributing 20 goals and 10 assists in 47 postseason games for Edmonton. It sounds like, at the very worst, he’ll be back in time for the Oilers to take another crack at the Stanley Cup.
