Oilers provide positive update on Kane heading into Stanley Cup Final
It’s been no hidden secret that Evander Kane has been playing through pain for the Edmonton Oilers during this playoff run.
The 32-year-old admitted to reporters before the postseason started that he has been dealing with a sports hernia for some time. Likely due to that, he has often been absent for practices during this run.
It seemed as though he may have aggravated the injury further in the Oilers’ series-clinching Game 6 win over the Dallas Stars, as he had less than five minutes of ice time and was even forced to head down the tunnel early after laying a hit on Alex Petrovic.
evander kane hobbles down the tunnel after laying a hit on alex petrovic nears the benches. pic.twitter.com/ApyRee41Ps
ā zach (@zjlaing) June 3, 2024
Oilers fans feared that he may be forced to miss some time in the Stanley Cup Final versus the Florida Panthers, but based on comments made today by head coach Kris Knoblauch, that might not be the case.
“I do,” Knoblauch said when asked if he expects Kane to start the series. “Don’t believe he’ll skate tomorrow. I think he’ll be on the ice Friday and playing on Saturday.”
Despite being at less than 100%, Kane has still found ways to be effective for the Oilers. He’s chipped in offensively with four goals and eight points through 18 outings and leads the team with 62 hits. Having him in the lineup to continue that physicality against a hard-checking Panthers team will be crucial for the Oilers’ success.
The Oilers and Panthers are still in the early stages of a long break, as Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final won’t get underway until Saturday. Game 1 and Game 2 will take place at Amerant Bank Arena, with puck drop set for 6 pm MT for both games.
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