Saying “brothers fight” and noting that they’ve talked, apologized, and moved on, both Corey Perry and Evander Kane spoke with Edmonton media on Monday and said their blow-up on the bench as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Calgary Flames was a minor dust-up between two professionals holding each other accountable. Kane said everything in Canada is public and Perry said this kind of things happens all the time and it’s how good teams become winning teams, Kane noted, “We’re fine. We are partners in the Masters pool.”
The media and fans wanted to know what the issue was that saw Perry explode in frustration during the win over the Flames. It was shown on television and talked about ad nauseam. Both admitted this was the kind of thing that happens between players and Perry said it was just frustration boiling over and that it’s too bad it got caught on camera because it’s not a huge deal. Kane added, “Guys are competitive and want to win and make each other better.”
As each player took turns answering questions from the media, Perry went first and then transitioned over the Kane. “Kaner, you’re up,” Perry said at the end of his scrum. Kane jokingly replied with, “You’re an a**hole!” Clearly, both players were fine and having a good laugh about how much the story has exploded over the past 48 hours.
These Two Are Just Like Brothers
Perry had it right by comparing his relationship with Kane to one that brothers have. They fight, but at the end of the day, they’re still brothers and will go to war with each other. That’s the Oilers in a nutshell. They want to be the best version of themselves and that means holding everyone up to a higher standard if they want to see playoff success. Still, you can get on each other’s case, but that’s only because there’s mutual love and respect for a teammate.
Fans should actually see this as a positive and not a negative. There are no short cuts being accepted on this team. Everyone, including veterans, is expected to give their best and the players will call each other out to ensure that’s what everyone brings to the table.
This might have been a spat caught on camera, but that could be a good thing too. Other teams now know how serious the Oilers are about winning and a standard of excellence. After all, what Kane did that got Perry fired up wasn’t all that bad. Still, it wasn’t the right play at the time and Perry let him know. The fact this team is striving for near perfection should concern whoever the Oilers play.
Next: Oilers’ Secret Playoff Weapon: Perry, Kane, and McLeod’s Cohesion
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