Oilers’ Evander Kane to debut in Game 2 versus Kings

Edmonton Oilers left winger Evander Kane is set to make his long-awaited season debut.

Ahead of Game 2 versus the Pacific Division rival Los Angeles Kings in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Kane took to the ice in Wednesday’s morning skate, playing on a line with fellow forwards Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman, per team broadcaster Bob Stauffer.

Sidelined for the entire 2024-25 regular season due to hip and knee injuries, Kane has not played since the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs where through 20 games he scored four times and added four assists for eight points to help the Oilers advance to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Florida Panthers.

Originally chosen fourth overall by the former Atlanta Thrashers in the 2009 NHL Draft, Kane has since seen 930 career contests with the Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks, and Oilers in which he has collected 326 goals and 291 assists for 617 points. A two-time 30-goal scorer, Kane’s best showing came with the Jets in 2011-12 where through 74 games he notched 57 points counting 30 goals and 27 assists. The 33-year-old Vancouver native has also tallied 26 goals and 17 assists for 43 points through 76 postseason appearances.

Now in his third campaign with Edmonton, Kane originally joined the Oilers as an unrestricted free agent in January 2022 after being placed on unconditional waivers by the Sharks. Six months later, Kane signed a four-year extension with the Oilers that carries a $5.125-million cap hit, per PuckPedia. Kane is once again eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in the 2026 offseason.

Kane returns to an Oilers squad looking to even its first-round series against the Kings. On Monday, the Kings prevailed 6-5 after the Oilers’ late third-period comeback bid fell short. Game 2 comes Wednesday in Los Angeles.