Evander Kane is set to undergo surgery to repair multiple injuries sustained during the 2023-24 season, sidelining him for what will likely be months. On the opening day of the Edmonton Oilers training camp, Kane shared that he will be undergoing surgery to address two sports hernias, two abdominal tears, and both abductor muscles in the coming days.
There was no timetable set for his return, but GM Stan Bowman confirmed that the forward will be out for a while.
Kane revealed that his injuries worsened over time, with symptoms beginning in late October and progressively deteriorating by December and January. Despite the pain, Kane played through the injuries, including during the Oilers’ run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, where the team lost to the Florida Panthers.
Kane missed the last five games of the series due to pain he couldn’t work through.
When asked why he would wait until the start of camp and not get the surgeries as soon as or before the season ended, Kane responded, “By the time we got to the playoffs, it wasn’t getting better, it was getting worse. I was just trying to give my teammates the best chance to win,” Kane said.
Kane also said that he wanted to give it the summer to see just how bad things were and if they would improve with some rest and rehab. When that didn’t work, it became about doing the research and finding the best surgeons to do the multiple procedures he needed to get done.
When asked if he might miss the entire season, “I certainly hope not,” he said.
Will the Oilers Try to Replace Kane in the Lineup?
It’s probably too soon to know if Edmonton will try to find a replacement for Kane or if they’ll spend some of his cap hit to improve in other areas. For now, it is believed they will place him on IR and not LTIR, doing so only if they need the cap space.
Kane is entering the third year of a four-year, $20.5 million contract and recorded 24 goals and 20 assists in 77 regular-season games last season. The Oilers will miss his production.
Next: Capitals’ T.J. Oshie Out with Chronic Injury, Set for LTIR in 2024-25
