Evander Kane may require major surgery: set to start season on LTIR

In the 2024 NHL playoffs, it was no secret that Kane was affected by multiple injuries. He was even forced to miss the last few games of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers.

Despite all this, he ended the year with an eight-point tally in 20 playoff games and a 44-point season in Edmonton.

Unfortunately, the Oilers are likely going to need to explore their options to replace him this year, at least to start the season.

A post on X made by the renowned Bob Stauffer suggested that he could undergo surgery that'll force him to spend time on the LTIR, missing the training camp as well as the start of the season.

In Stauffer's words:

Fortunately, the Oilers management made good moves this summer, adding considerable depth to their lineup with Jeff Skinner, Matthew Savoie, and Viktor Arvidsson.

With Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard looking to get back in the Stanley Cup Finals, they should manage to start the 2024-25 NHL season the right way, despite Kane's injuries.

It'll be interesting to monitor Kane's recovery. Considering that in the past, many teams used the LTIR to circumvent the salary cap, such as Stanley Cup champions Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights, the Oilers could consider activating him for the playoffs and going over the cap limit in the postseason games, possibly giving them a big edge on their opponents.

Source for Evander Kane's statistics: Hockey DB
Evander Kane