Edmonton Oilers need to explore Evander Kane trade this offseason
Evander Kane failed to make the impact Edmonton Oilers fans had hoped for in the Stanley Cup Final.
The 33-year-old was healthy and ready to go for this year’s rematch versus the Florida Panthers after missing the vast majority of last year’s Final due to injury, one that wound up costing him the entire 2024-25 season.
Despite the lengthy time off, Kane was very effective for the Oilers through the first three rounds of the playoffs, racking up five goals and 11 points through 15 games. Unfortunately for the Oilers, he was much less effective against the Panthers.
Kane managed just one goal through the six game series. It wasn’t just offensively where he disappointed, either, as he failed to be the physical and intimidating presence the Oilers needed him to be against a Panthers team that has plenty of grit.
Instead, Kane was noticeable for all the wrong reasons.
He took costly penalties throughout the series, which didn’t bode well for an Oilers penalty kill that struggled the entire postseason. He wound up racking up 32 minutes in the Cup Final, which included two 10-minute misconducts.
This has been a concern at times in the past for Kane, as he has a tendency to take a lot of penalties, which sometimes overshadow what is an otherwise very effective player.
Throughout the 2024-25 season, there had been rumblings that the Oilers might look to trade Kane, although ultimately, nothing came to fruition. His injury may have played a part in that, but now that he’s back to full health, fans shouldn’t be surprised to hear his name on the block again this offseason.
“They explored the market for him before the deadline, and because he wasn’t healthy, there wasn’t much to go on there… I think there will be a market for him,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said to Matt Marchese and Mike Futa on The FAN Hockey Show.
"I think there will be a market for him." – Elliotte Friedman regarding Evander Kane.#LetsGoOilers
š¹: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/qoeuuWXwo1
— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ā07 (@OilersNation) June 18, 2025
The Oilers are heading into an offseason where they will not only have to pay Evan Bouchard but also need to fill several other holes on their roster. Unfortunately, they don’t have a ton of money to do so, meaning they may have to move out a player or two to make things work.
Moving players won’t be easy, as several Oilers players have no-movement clauses. Kane, however, has a 16-team no-trade clause, which would provide GM Stan Bowman the option of moving him in order to free up money.
Given how ineffective Kane was in the Cup Final, moving him to free up money ā which could potentially be allocated elsewhere, such as for goaltending help ā would be beneficial to the Oilers. Though he has proven he can really help this team out, his inconsistencies have made him expendable.
While there is no need for the Oilers to rush a trade, fans shouldn’t be surprised to see the veteran forward shipped out at some point this offseason.