Oilers president Jeff Jackson makes major statement on Evander Kane status
Photo credit: Edmonton Oilers Raw
The Edmonton Oilers entire trade deadline plans will revolve around Evander Kane's salary this season, and now President Jeff Jackson has confirmed Kane will not play until the playoffs.
The Oilers are pressed right up against the cap if Kane were to return to the lineup, but if he remains out until the playoffs, the team could add more salary in trades with Kane's $5.125M on LTIR.
Oilers President confirms Kane timeline was always to return in playoffs
On a new edition of the 100% Hockey Podcast, president Jeff Jackson confirmed that Kane's initial hernia surgery in training camp was expected to keep him out all year.
With the additional second surgery on his knee, the medical opinion was strong that Kane could not play until playoffs.
Evander's in his rehab. It's going along. The prognosis from the time of the surgery was the end of the season
Then he had the issue with his knee that was unrelated to any hockey injury, and he had that surgery. So that sort of slowed him down a bit.
So, I think that probably we're still in the same time frame where we're looking at, you could probably end up coming back to play sometime in the playoffs.
- Jeff Jackson
Then he had the issue with his knee that was unrelated to any hockey injury, and he had that surgery. So that sort of slowed him down a bit.
So, I think that probably we're still in the same time frame where we're looking at, you could probably end up coming back to play sometime in the playoffs.
- Jeff Jackson
It's also very interesting to hear that Kane's second surgery was non-hockey related injury.
While Jackson went on to say that while Kane is trying his best to make an earlier return to the lineup, it's a significant revelation from the President that their medical opinion always suggested a playoff return.
Oilers have strong medical opinion Evander Kane will not be fully healthy until playoffs
That should cover the Oilers' bases to hold out Kane for the entire regular season, even if he wants to return to play in the last two weeks. The Oilers will likely have medical data to suggest he needs more time for a full recovery.
This new information from Jackson should confirm that the Oilers can make a significant trade at the deadline and spend the $5.125M of Kane's contract with him on LTIR.
Without this situation, it would've been extremely difficult for the Oilers to make any trade deadline move. Now, the pressure needs to be on management to acquire the necessary improvements.
MUST READ
TRENDING NOW
