Edmonton Oilers re-sign Evander Kane to four-year contract carrying $5.125 million cap hit
The Edmonton Oilers have re-signed forward Evander Kane to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $5.125 million per season, Kane announced Tuesday evening.
Kane, 30, scored 22 goals and 39 points in 43 games with the Oilers after signing a one-year deal with the team midway through the 2021–22 regular season. He added 13 goals and 17 points in 15 playoff games as the Oilers reached the Western Conference Final.
I’m back. pic.twitter.com/aBAw0dQlNL
— Evander Kane (@evanderkane_9) July 13, 2022The Oilers were able to sign Kane last season after the San Jose Sharks terminated his previous deal, with his former club alleging he breached his contract by violating the American Hockey League’s COVID-19 rules. The NHLPA subsequently filed a grievance on Kane’s behalf.
The Atlanta Thrashers originally selected Kane with the No. 4 pick in the 2009 NHL Draft. He tagged along as the team moved up north in 2011 to become the Winnipeg Jets, spending parts of four seasons in the Manitoba capital before being traded to the Buffalo Sabres in 2015.
The Sabres subsequently traded Kane to the Sharks in 2018. In 812 career regular-season games with the Thrashers, Jets, Sabres, Sharks, and Oilers, Kane has scored 286 goals and 545 points.
“I want to win, and I believe after signing this deal [the Oilers] will be able to add the right pieces along with myself to accomplish that goal, a championship,” Kane said Tuesday.
With Kane back under contract, the Oilers now have nine forwards with NHL experience under contract for 2022–23: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, Kane, Warren Foegele, Derek Ryan, Devin Shore, Dylan Holloway, Seth Griffith, and Brad Malone.
The Oilers still have approximately $10 million in cap space to sign pending RFA forwards Ryan McLeod, Jesse Puljujarvi, and Kailer Yamamoto, as well as to plug some holes on defense and in goal.