Evander Kane one-on-one: On his last days an Oiler, race in hockey and why he chose the Canucks
Article content
On a salary cap-strapped team that needed to re-sign Evan Bouchard, and still needs to lock up Connor McDavid long-term, Kane's $5.1 million-a-year deal became too much too bear. But, the power forward's contract had a 16-team no trade list.
Article content
Article content
Article content
Kane said he, his agent and the Oilers worked together to find the best landing spot for him. And that final destination was his home city of Vancouver, where he'll play close to old friends and family. The Oilers got a fourth-round pick in exchange, which they used to select Saskatoon Blades forward David Lewandowski.
Article content
'I would have loved to have stayed and finish my career here in Edmonton,' said Kane, a father of four. 'Me and my family, we have a lot of great memories here, on and off the ice. Obviously, I understand hockey is first and foremost a business and that people have to make business decisions, especially when there are salary-cap issues with teams. When you go to the finals back-to-back years, you probably have a pretty good team, and you have players making a lot of money. I think you saw that this summer with a ton of turnover. It's going to be happening for others next year, with a lot of guys moving on.
Article content
Article content
'For me personally, my agent made me aware of where Edmonton was, and obviously, I had some control in terms of where I went. And the Oilers did a nice job of working with me to get me to a place that made some sense for me and my family instead of just trading me to the highest bidder. I was appreciative.'
Article content
Article content
Before the interview, Kane's agency made it clear that he wanted to clear the air over the Game 6 post-game controversy that erupted after he didn't join his Oilers' teammates for the customary post-series handshakes with the Florida Panthers. Kane received a misconduct penalty with just a little more than two minutes left in the third period of that 5-1 loss, and didn't re-emerge after the final horn sounded at the Amerant Bank Arena. It led to a firestorm of criticism and became a social media cause celebre.
Article content
Kane said he doesn't understand why so many pundits don't see it for simply what it was, a player who was thrown out of a game and thought the best course of action was not to come back to the ice after 60 minutes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Edmonton Journal
6 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
Most over-rated Edmonton Oilers still plugging along elsewhere in pro hockey
They are, as a group, the most over-rated Edmonton Oilers of all-time. But they're still plugging along in pro hockey. Article content Who are they? Bottom-pairing d-men in Edmonton, players who as young pros ere held up by large and vocal factions of the Oilers fanbase as budding NHL stars, surefire Top 4 defencemen-to-be, with all the fancy statistics you'd ever want to back up the claim. Article content Article content But one after another failed to in his Oilers audition, then have struggled as well in other NHL organizations. Article content Article content This list has many similar players, mostly smaller d-men with NHL average-to-good puck-moving skills. None of them were high draft picks, but their lack of pedigree and inconsistent skill profile didn't stop many fans from adoring them, promoting them, and gnashing their teeth at the presumed incompetence of the Oilers organization when they crashed in Edmonton and eventually were traded away after a few seasons. Article content The fact that not one of them stuck as a Top 4 d-man in another NHL city suggests maybe the Oilers were right to move on, and that the faction that so believed in each player simply had it wrong. I had it wrong on a few of them, I admit. Article content Article content It's a bold statement to say these are the most over-rated Oilers of all, especially given how so many fans have fallen for high pedigree offensive players like Rob Schremp, Nail Yakupov, Magnus Paajarvi and Jesse Puljujarvi. Article content But I'll suggest there's a special intensity to the hope invested in these bottom-end d-men, one similar to the optimism of the gold prospector scratching for decades for the one big find, the ego-driven aspect that rises high inthose who hope to have that rare ability to spot a diamond-in-the-rough. Article content These d-men tended to be most beloved by fans who put a lot of weight in modern era hockey analytics and fancy stats, the team-based on-ice numbers that attempt to rank individual players. The one exception to that is big Desharnais, who was adored by the old school, Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em faction of fans. They loved the size and aggression he brought to the team. But after two playoff seasons where Desharnais struggled to move the puck, it was time for him to go, at least when he was offered a major raise by Vancouver. But the Canucks quickly moved on from Desharnais as well.
Edmonton Journal
a day ago
- Edmonton Journal
Why this Edmonton Oilers star deserves to shine on the biggest stage: 9 Things
It is the dog days of August. Article content Some people think that is a baseball term that describes that jockeying for position in the standings during the sweltering summer. In actual fact, it is a phrase dating back to Roman times and has more to do with the stars than sports. Article content Although for one Edmonton Oilers star in particular, August has turned out to be a hopeful celestial event indeed. Article content Article content 9. Barring injury, Leon Draisaitl will easily surpass a milestone that all but guarantees his spot in The Hockey Hall of Fame, if it is not already. Draisaitl is just forty-four points away from 1,000 NHL regular season games. Article content 8. I tend not to comment on player's personal lives. They share enough of themselves already. But on the occasion of Draisaitl's wedding, I did reflect on how startlingly short of a time it seems since Edmonton drafted the young man. My, how time does fly. Article content 7. Draisaitl and Connor McDavid will break another long-standing Edmonton Oilers record this season. One of them may even break in in Game One. Both men are tied with the great Glenn Anderson with seventy-two game winning goals in franchise history. Article content 6. One young Edmonton Oiler who I will have an eye on this fall will be Beau Akey. Taken 56 th overall in the 2023 draft, injuries have set back the talented blueliner. But he is finally 100%. He will not make the big club out of camp. But a full season in Bakersfield should tell the team exactly what they've got. Can he develop into a two-way, bottom-pairing D-man? Article content Article content 5. Another young guy to watch but who is not a prospect anymore is Noah Philp. The biggest season of his life is ahead of him. In a fifteen-game audition in the NHL, the right-shot center showed he could handle the defensive responsibilities at this level. But can he crack a lineup bent on a Stanley Cup? That is a different challenge. Philp is now also waiver eligible. Article content 4. The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation is sinking $21m into its Every Kid Deserves a Shot program. It is a terrific initiative in that it helps kids in all socio-economic situations participate in a sport that is increasingly expensive. I will never forget how much time and money my own Dad gave so that I had a shot. Not all families can manage that, which is a real shame. Well done. Article content 3. Connor McDavid is more than entitled to dictate the timing of his decision on a possible extension. But while I 100% defend the player's rights in situations like that, it also opens the door to some of the wild speculation you have probably read the past few weeks, from a trade to L.A. to how his 'best days may be behind him'. You might write that in stuff August when there is nothing else to print. One assumes his agent warned him of that side-effect.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Oilers kid's hockey initiative announces $21 million investment
Kids across Oil Country are getting a grand total of $21 million in funding by 2030 through an initiative looking to reduce barriers for kids in sports. The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF) announced Saturday that it's investing the money into its Every Kid Deserves a Shot initiative. A media release from the EOCF said $14.1 million of that money has been invested to date, and $7.2 million has been committed over the next five years. The announcement was made in Fan Park at Ice District during EOCF's Every Kid Deserves a Shot community day, a family-friendly day of bouncy castles, craft stations, community booths and Oilers alumni. 'This transformational investment will ensure every kid has the opportunity to reach their full potential both on and off the ice,' said EOCF executive director Myrna Khan. 'We're excited to see the positive impact this additional multi-year funding will have in shaping brighter futures for kids and families for years to come.' EOCF committed $1.5 million to the Hockey Alberta Foundation, $3 million to Free Play for Kids and another $1 million to Sport Central by 2030. KidSport will also receive $1.7 million for their Oil Country Hockey Assist Program in season four. Janna Tominuk, CEO of Sport Central, noted in the release that the Every Kid Deserves a Shot initiative has made it possible for them to distribute almost 39,000 pieces of equipment in the last nine months. 'The demand for no-cost sports equipment continues to rise, with a 74 per cent increase over the past two years,' Tominuk said. EOCF's Every Kid Deserves a Shot initiative runs several of its own programs, including Oilers Hockey School and First Shift, while also supporting others with similar goals. Tim Adams, the executive director of Free Play for Kids, said the investment ensures kids not only get access to hockey, but to care and support. 'When done well, sport is a powerful tool,' Adams said. 'It brings people together, builds community and creates stability.'
