Evander Kane, Edmonton Oilers Rumours Become Reality
By Phil Gretzky
It Goes Bad
If Kane hasn’t learned from his past mistakes, he’ll find himself alienating the fans here, probably booed every time he touches the puck for the rest of the season. Chances are if he repeats the same mistakes he made before, he’ll alienate his teammates too.
Ultimately he becomes a distraction to the team, it craters their season, and Ken Holland looks like an idiot for taking a chance on a guy who is revealed to be a great player but a horrible human being.
Maybe in this hypothetical Bob Nicholson might even fire him, because after all the bucks stops at the GM for all the moves he makes. Not only do the Edmonton Oilers not win a playoff series, they don’t make the playoffs at all, falling well short of team expectations.
It Goes Good
The other way this plays out is Kane has learned from his past mistakes. He gets ample playing time with either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl (maybe both), and if he puts up 30-40 points in the half season he is here I think everyone will be pretty happy with that production.
He becomes yet another weapon at forward on a team loaded with talent in the top six. As we saw in the Montreal game, it also allows Dave Tippett options for better depth in the bottom six ranks. Kane then proceeds to get involved in the community, his physical power forward playing style endears himself to fans, and he gets to learn what it’s like being in Edmonton when the team wins.
He becomes a positive force in the top six and helps the team to a winning streak, propelling them into the playoffs where they make it at least to the second round, maybe even winning a cup as an underdog. Ken Holland looks like a genius for giving the guy a fourth chance.
After the season is done Kane basks in the redemption and he can once again set his sights on a big money contract, because teams are more apt to take a chance on him now that he’s kept his nose clean here in Edmonton. He’s likely burned his bridges in Buffalo, Winnipeg, and San Jose, but you can bet almost all the other teams will be clamouring to sign him.
Would he come back to Edmonton in this scenario? If he signed for maybe $5 million or less and the Oilers can move some cap space around in a salary dump (Zack Kassian, I’m looking in your direction), then they might be able to make it work.
However, it seems unlikely the Edmonton Oilers would have the cap space to bring him back unless he comes back on another bargain basement contract. Even then, at least we’ve had him for this season at least.