Edmonton Oilers

Oilers’ Evander Kane Misses Practice, Dealing With Mystery Injury

Evander Kane of the Edmonton Oilers is dealing with a minor injury that has kept him out of practice. How will this affect his ice time?

by
NHL Trade Talk
December 14, 2023

According to Jason Gregor of Oilers Nation, Evander Kane is dealing with some sort of injury that has been keeping him out of practice. Kane has been playing games and is expected to suit up for the Edmonton Oilers as they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning Thursday night, but something is off.

Gregor writes:

“Evander Kane is banged up. He didn’t practice yesterday after not taking the morning skate on Tuesday but played against Chicago. I haven’t been able to pinpoint the injury, but he doesn’t seem as explosive as he was earlier in the season. He is still playing physical, however, as he leads the Oilers with 33 hits during the win streak. Mattias Ekholm is second with 15 followed by Mattias Janmark and McDavid with 14.”

As far as we know, the injury doesn’t have anything to do with his previous/current wrist issues. Kane missed 3-4 months due to a severe arm injury from a skate blade incident. The freak accident happened during a match with the Lightning when Patrick Maroon skated over Kane’s exposed arm. Kane should fully recover, but he’s admits it could take years before he’s back to 100%. He does not yet have full feeling and range of motion when it comes to what he was once able to do on the ice before the injury.

How Will Kane’s Injury Affect the Oilers’ Game Plan?

Gregor points out that Kane missed yesterday’s practice, and head coach Kris Knoblauch had Mattias Janmark and Warren Foegele skating with Leon Draisaitl. This could mean more line juggling tonight as Draisaitl and Ryan McLeod were swapped mid-last game.

Evander Kane of the Edmonton Oilers during with an injury

The top line is performing excellently, making it challenging to alter during this hot streak. Meanwhile, the fourth line is also in good form, but the Kane-Draisaitl-Connor Brown line has yet to make a significant impact. If Kane is showing signs that his injury is hampering him, there could be some movement or fewer minutes. It will be something to keep an eye on throughout the game.

Next: Oilers Win Streak at 8 Games, Beat Bedard’s Blackhawks 4-1