Oilers' Evander Kane blasted for snubbing Stanley Cup handshake line
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It wasn't the first time in the series that Kane was sent to the showers early.
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In Game 3, Kane was booted from the Panthers' 6-1 win after slashing Carter Verhaeghe in the face while he was on the ice. The Oilers winger received a game misconduct penalty after a review and subsequently was ejected.
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'They seem to get away with it more than we do,' Kane said after that game. 'It's tough to find the line — they're doing just as much stuff as we are.'
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Kane's non-return to the ice for the handshakes had hockey fans on social media up in arms over the lack of class shown for skipping the display of sportsmanship, with many calling him a 'sore loser.'
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'Evander Kane choosing not to be in the handshake line is perfectly on brand for him. Dirty, classless player,' one user wrote on X.
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Evander Kane choosing not to be in the handshake line is perfectly on brand for him. Dirty, classless player.
— John Kriesel (@johnkriesel) June 18, 2025
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'His team lost but HE is a loser,' another commented.
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'Leave it to Evander Kane to be classless to the end,' a third user wrote.
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Kane has yet to comment on why he was absent from the handshake line on Tuesday night.
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Kane and the Oilers also reportedly are at the centre of an inquiry over the team's use of Long-Term IR salary cap relief, after he missed most of the season before returning for the playoffs.
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According to Frank Seravalli of the Daily Face-off, the 'NHL plans to continue to examine the Oilers usage of LTIR salary cap relief for forward Evander Kane. The NHL may require more information to satisfy itself that the Oilers complied with the CBA.
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He also noted that the league is 'deliberating on next steps' and 'there is the potential for retroactive punishment if the league finds the spirit of the CBA was violated.'
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Through his 15-year NHL career, Kane has been at the centre of several controversies ranging from assault and harassment charges, to allegations of sports betting and gambling debts, as well as claims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
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