Top 3 Oilers studs from 5-4 shootout win versus Golden Knights
By Paul Taylor
2) Evander Kane
After Kane arrived in Edmonton early in 2022, it marked a poignant moment in what had been a turbulent and polarising NHL career up to that point. Perhaps realising this was his last and best change to reach his potential, he buckled down, put in the effort and behaved himself.
The result was the best form of the 32-year-old’s career, playing a significant role in the Oilers’ run to the Western Conference finals. He was subsequently rewarded with a four-year, $20.5 million extension which showed the team’s belief in him and, for maybe the first time since he started playing professionally, he finally felt truly settled.
Kane started the following season on a similar run of excellent form, but he was almost fated to have some more adversity come his way. He suffered a wrist injury which required surgery, resulting in him missing a significant portion of the 2022-23 season.
When the 2009 fourth overall draft pick returned, he just wasn’t the same, and it spilled over into this season, with just one point in his first five games. Since then however, he’s got back on track and is now playing as well as when he first joined the team.
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At times it was Kane who kept dragging the team along, while McDavid and Draisaitl dealt with goal-scoring slumps. Once again he has become an integral part of the team, with his recent natural hat-trick highlighting his importance.
The Vancouver native continued his fine form versus the Golden Knights, once again imposing his physical will on the game with a team — and game — high seven hits. He also scored the Oilers’ fourth goal, giving him eight in eight games and 11 overall on the season.
However, such is Kane’s appreciation of the organisation, he’d prefer to talk about the team as a whole rather than any individual accomplishments. Speaking postgame to the media about the recent improvement in results, he said:
"“You’re not seeing big mistakes. We’ve limited the ‘boos boos’, and we’re obviously creating a lot more offence and putting the puck in the net. So that helps win hockey games when you limit the other team and play a tighter game, and you end up in the win column more.”"