Evander Kane takes big step towards returning to Edmonton Oilers lineup
Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane has made another big step in what has been a lengthy recovery period.
The 33-year-old has yet to play a game this season due to abdominal surgery in September, followed up by a knee procedure in January. The Oilers have already announced that he will remain on long-term injured reserve for the remainder of the 2024-25 season, though it looks like there is a real chance he’ll be ready to go for the playoffs.
Evander Kane is on the ice for an optional Oilers skate this morning. #Oilers pic.twitter.com/P6MT4dOfrh
— Tony Brar š (@TonyBrarOTV) March 20, 2025
Kane has been skating by himself for several weeks, but today marked the first time he’s hit the ice for a full practice this season.
Since joining the Oilers partway through the 2022-23 season, Kane has proven to be a solid goal scorer who also ramps things up physically. Though the 2023-24 campaign was somewhat of a disappointment for him, he still managed 24 goals and 44 points in 77 games while battling a sports hernia.
The question is, how effective will Kane be after such a long time off? When at his best, he’s a very good NHL player, but expecting him to jump in for the playoffs — when the game is played at a much higher speed — and provide a big impact may be wishful thinking.
Should he be even remotely close to the player he was before last season’s injuries, however, that would be a huge bonus for the Oilers. Despite turning things around as of late following a dreadful 10-game stint following the 4 Nations Face-Off break, they’ve still struggled to get secondary scoring on a consistent basis.
Kane isn’t the only Oiler on the shelf, as trade deadline addition Trent Frederic has yet to suit up due to a lower-body injury. John Klingberg also remains out of the lineup with an undisclosed ailment but is currently listed as day-to-day.