As the Oilers gear up for the upcoming season, one of the biggest uncertainties is Evander Kane’s return following his season-ending injury.
Kane is set to undergo surgery in the next 10 days to address a sports hernia that he managed throughout most of the past season. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has indicated that Kane could be sidelined for several months, although a precise return date hasn’t been confirmed. Yahoo Sports is now speculating that Kane might be back in action before December 25th.
Yahoo Sports analyzed recovery timelines for 17 NHL players who had similar surgeries and predicts Kane’s return could be between late October and mid-December. Considering Friedman’s report, a December return seems more plausible, suggesting Kane will miss around 20 games—roughly 30% of the season.
“If Kane undergoes surgery next week, he’s likely to return between late October and mid-December. Assuming a nine-week recovery period, he’d miss the Oilers’ first 20 games,” said Finn Marceau of Yahoo Sports.
There are concerns about older NHL players’ performance post-surgery, and with Kane turning 33 next season and having a recent history of injuries, it remains to be seen if he can defy these trends. If Kane can regain his explosive power-forward form, he could significantly boost the Oilers’ offense.
Kane is under contract with the Oilers for the next two seasons at $5.125 million annually. If he performs up to his contract’s value, he could contribute to a potential Cup victory and then enjoy his newly built home in Edmonton as a retired player.
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