According to a new report from Elliotte Friedman, the Edmonton Oilers and Evander Kane have soured on each other, and a move may be imminent.
Evander Kane was scratched for the final 5 games of the Stanley Cup Final after playing through the entire playoffs with a sports hernia injury. Coach Knoblauch explained that he simply needed a healthier and more effective player in the lineup, but Evander Kane seemed particularly upset by it. At the end of the year, Kane did not speak to the media.
On a recent episode of the Jason Gregor Show, Gregor alluded that Evander Kane may not have come into camp last season in good shape. Without keeping up proper conditioning, Kane shows a lack of responsibility that you can't have from a core player on a Cup-calibre team. If it's true that Kane came to camp out of shape, it may have even contributed to the sports hernia which kept him out of playoff games.
Given Evander Kane's history, this isn't a shock to most hockey fans. Unfortunately he seems to slowly sour on every team he's been on in his career, and it looks like his days in Edmonton may be at an end. Kane has been rumoured to be in trades for the Oilers to clear salary cap space, and if Friedman's report is accurate, Kane will surely waive his No Move Clause for a trade out of Edmonton. Nick Kypreos even reported the Oilers could buy out Evander Kane.
We'll have to see early this offseason which route the Oilers decide to take with Evander Kane. A move off the roster to better spend his salary seems likely, but it may not be out of the realm of possibility they try to bring him back and mend the relationship. It feels more likely however, that Kane is going to force his way off the third team in his career.
