The Edmonton Oilers have released a statement regarding the recovery timeline for forward Evander Kane after offseason surgery on several issues. Noting that is expected Kane will be out a minimum of five months, it’s not clear how the Oilers will proceed in trying to replace the rugged winger and his production.
As per a statement by the Edmonton Oilers on Monday evening:
UPDATE: #Oilers forward Evander Kane underwent successful abdominal surgery last Friday in New York. Recovery from the procedure is expected to take a minimum of five to six months. His rehabilitation will take place in Edmonton under the supervision of the club’s medical staff.
Insiders suggest that the five-month timeline is generous. Daniel Nugent-Bowman is reporting that it could be six months — or longer. He tweeted, “We’re talking about most or all of the regular season here.” If that’s the case, the Oilers might think about placing Kane on LTIR and going after a player. With salary cap relief in the range of $5.25 million, there is a lot the Oilers can potentially do if they know he’ll be out until the postseason.
At the very least, the Oilers may look to do some cap gymnastics to see if they can turn a negative into a positive.
Did the Oilers Wait on Kane’s Surgery for a Reason?
Some are suggesting the Oilers waited to have Kane undergo surgery intentionally to keep him out as much of the regular season as possible. Clearly, there is no way to know if this is even remotely accurate, but the timing is intriguing.
Kane said he needed time to see if rehab would work and the research the proper doctors to perform the surgery. The real tell may be what the Oilers choose to do with the cap space available if Kane goes on LTIR.
Mark Spector tweeted, “My money says the first game he plays this season is a playoff game.”
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