According to reports, including one from Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, Edmonton Oilers’ forward Evander Kane is set to undergo offseason surgery to deal with his sports hernia issue.
Spector writes, “Evander Kane is scheduled for surgery in the next “10 days or so” to repair damage from the sports hernia he carried through last season, I am told.” He adds, “Post-surgery prognosis should shed light on the recovery period, and of course, how Oilers will approach their salary cap.”
Kane recorded 24 goals and 20 assists in 77 games during the regular season. He also had eight points in 20 of Edmonton’s 25 playoff games. Much of that time was spent hampered by a sports hernia issue and other ailments. Things got so bad that Kane was eventually pulled from the roster during the Stanley Cup Final series against the Florida Panthers.
Elliotte Friedman said back in August that Kane could be out months if he chose to have the surgery. That would mean the Oilers would put the forward on LTIR, but it’s not clear if they would look to spend any of the $5.25 million he costs on their salary cap to replace him or find an upgrade on defense heading into the season. If the Oilers are able to get Kane back in December or January, they would need to make room for him on their roster.
The Oilers will miss Kane, but a healthy Evander Kane is much more effective than a player who is dealing with nagging issues all season. The plan is to get him healthy and then bring him back at 100%, when the Oilers are presumably ready to make their playoff push.
