Oilers' Kane stuck in another lengthy goal-scoring drought

The 2023-24 season has been a streaky one for Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane, to say the least.

While his totals are nowhere nearly as impressive as they were in his first season with the Oilers, he has a respectable 21 goals and 38 points in 65 games. Considering he doesn’t see time on the top power-play unit and has often been in a third-line role this season, the totals are solid. What’s concerning, however, is the streakiness of his play.

On four different occasions this season, Kane has gone five or more games without a goal. Right now marks his worst stretch, as he hasn’t found the back of the net in 14 straight outings. Making matters worse is that he only has three assists during that span.

The Oilers have managed to continue racking up wins despite Kane’s cool stretch of play, putting together an 8-3-3 record through their last 14 games. It’s clear that during the regular season, they can manage to win games despite the 32-year-olds struggles. In the playoffs, however, that may fail to be the case.

If the Oilers are to reach the Stanley Cup Final, they will need to knock off some heavy hitters in the Western Conference. Teams like the Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, and Vancouver Canucks all pose serious threats. Every Oiler will need to be at his best to ensure they come out on top in any of those potential series, but with Kane’s play this season, it remains to be seen as to what he will provide.

There is reason for optimism, as Kane’s aggressive style of play, particularly on the forecheck, makes him a playoff-type player. He showed in 2022 how good he could be in the postseason, as he registered 13 goals in 15 games. That elite level of production shouldn’t be expected, but if he can find a way to be more consistent once the playoffs roll around, the Oilers will have a far better chance to go the distance.

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