Evander Kane- $5.125 Million AAV
The second name on this list is Evander Kane. While Kane does have the ability to play up to and sometimes beyond his $5.125 million cap hit, he rarely does. The current issue with Kane is his health status being in the air. This offseason we have heard both sides of the extreme regarding his health and we still don't know what is happening.
There are reports that Kane is going to be starting the season on the LTIR and there are opposite reports that he is going to be there for day one of training camp ready to go. If he is there on day one and is 100% healthy then his name doesn't really belong on this list. Unfortunately, I do not think that is going to be the case. I think Kane wants to play even though he is slightly hurt, and the Oilers want him to have some sort of surgery that will make him eventually 100% healthy.
Another issue with Kane is that he was brought in to play in the Oilers' top six. Right now, even if he is completely healthy, he still would be placed outside of the top 6. With the signings of Arvidsson and Skinner, Kane has been pushed down the depth chart. This makes his $5.125 million look worse cause he would be an expensive bottom 6 player.
Kane also has a no movement clause which turns into a limited no-move right before the trade deadline this season. That is a positive for the Oilers, a team who are going to need to bring in a defenseman at the deadline to improve what they have. Not only would the Oilers be getting $5.125 million off the books, but the team receiving him will have a skilled player locked up for a couple more years. At the deadline, Kane may just be the Oilers' biggest chip in a trade, if they choose to move on from him.