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Ryan Rishaug speculates Oilers' plan of action for Evander Kane
Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane is set to start on long-term injured reserved (LTIR), TSN’s Ryan Rishaug speculates.
Rishaug recently commented on X/Twitter following reports that Kane will undergo a surgical procedure. The surgery is related to an injury that Kane suffered last season, which kept him out of the lineup throughout the regular season and playoffs.
Rishaug said in his tweet:
“My sense on Kane is surgery is the most likely course of action. Process is still underway to determine exactly what needs to be done, as there were several significant issues he was dealing with. He is not likely to be ready for training camp, and it could be several months into the season before he’s available.”
The news does not bode well for the Edmonton Oilers as they figure to lose one of their top-six forwards for the foreseeable future. As such, the club may need to find a replacement for Kane while he rehabs from surgery.
While placing Kane on the LTIR allows the Oilers to use Kane’s cap hit to find another player, a suitable replacement may be hard to find at this point in the offseason. The list of available free agents is rather thin, making it challenging to find a player who could take Kane’s place.
Similarly, acquiring a player via trade could prove equally challenging as the Oilers might need to give up prospects or draft picks to make a deal work.
In the end, the loss of Evander Kane will impact the Oilers’ top six, putting pressure on Edmonton's front office to find an adequate replacement.
Evander Kane could be out for about 12 weeks
For the Edmonton Journal, David Staples recently discussed the causes and timeline for Kane’s surgery and potential return to the Oilers lineup.
In particular, Insider Bob Stauffer’s comments were echoed, highlighting that Kane will need surgery to repair the ongoing issue. The issue is related to a sports hernia that sidelined Kane during the Oilers’ playoff run last season.
Furthermore, here's what Dr. Harjas Grewal had to say about the suspected surgery Kane will require (via edmontonjournal.com):
“If it’s sports hernia surgery, typical timeline we see for NHLers is around 12 weeks.”
While 12 weeks is a considerable time, it doesn’t seem as extensive as what both Stauffer and Rishaug reported. Perhaps the injury is more serious than originally anticipated, necessitating further recovery time.
Ultimately, a 12-week timeline could hint at Kane's return to the lineup at some point in November. But judging from Rishaug and Stauffer’s comment, he could be out for much longer than that.
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