The Edmonton Oilers are finally getting the return of Evander Kane on Wednesday, and now we know why it's come at the expense of Jeff Skinner, with Head Coach Kris Knoblauch explaining the role that Kane will play upon his return.
After a big comeback and a dramatic defeat in Game One, the Edmonton Oilers are looking to bounce back on Wednesday and tie up their series with the Los Angeles Kings before things officially head back to Edmonton.
They'll do so with a huge boost, as it has been revealed that for the first time in 2024/25, Evander Kane will suit up, reportedly set to join a line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman.
Unfortunately for Jeff Skinner, someone has to make way.
Kris Knoblauch Reveals Why He Decided To Bench Jeff Skinner For Game 2
Now, Head Coach Kris Knoblauch has revealed why it was the veteran forward to come out of the lineup for Kane.
Well, its roles and responsibilities. We only need so many guys to be on the powerplay, to play top six, with skilled positions.We need guys to be able to kill penalties. Jeff doesn't kill penalties. So there's nothing against Jeff's game the other night, it's just we're putting in Evander tonight. We had to take somebody out and everyone's got a role.
While it's tough on Skinner, at their best, Kane is the much more impactful forward, and after contributing to their Stanley Cup Finals run a year ago, it's easy to see why they've gone back to Kane in this one.
Now, they'll hope he can hit the ground running following the 6-5 defeat in Game One, because if they can't bounce back with a win, the pressure is in their corner as the series heads back to Edmonton, with plenty of optimism that Kane can be the x-factor in winning this series.
