Oilers Must Weigh Net Loss of Delaying Evander Kane’s Return

Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman is cautiously optimistic about Evander Kane s potential return but is preparing for two distinct scenarios based on Kanes recovery timeline.

One option would see the Oilers welcome Kanes return before the playoffs and give him time to get up to speed for the postseason.

The other has Kane joining Edmonton after the regular season, and Bowman trying to offset the time it takes for Kane to be effective by spending big and adding extra upgrades ahead of the deadline.

There are positives and negatives in each situation.

The question becomes what makes the bigger net difference? So Many Questions Still Surround Evander Kanes Return Kanes meeting with the media on Friday left the door wide open for the player to miss the rest of the regular season.

He hinted things wouldnt be delayed too dramatically, but Kane wouldnt give an exact timeline.

Many believe the Oilers will pull a Tampa Bay or Vegas, adding Kanes LTIR cap hit after the season ends with no penalty.

Adding to this narrative, while speaking to the media on Friday , Bowman stressed that regardless of what the Oilers do, its most important to have Kane fully healthy rather than rushing his return.

We want him back as soon as hes ready, Bowman stated.

He added, Hes not going to come back at 50 percent.

Because this doesnt necessarily mean just that Kane isnt injured, but that hes effective, Bowman has a decision to make.

If Kane returns during the regular season, Edmonton will have about $3 million in cap space to spend.

This is thanks to the cap space the team has been accruing over the season.

However, if Kane is sidelined until the playoffs, his $5.125 million cap hit would be available under LTIR, providing additional cap space for roster upgrades.

Bowman seemed to hint it wasnt going to be a difference-maker when he said, I dont know if it changes as much as people think it changes.

He added, Its not that dramatically different.

Still, this $2.1 million difference is important when assessing potential moves.

The real question is, how important.

How Does an Early Kane Return Change the Oilers Plans? Bowman understands that keeping Kane on the active roster means less cap flexibility.

But, moving Kane to LTIR under the assumption that he wont return means potentially buying at the deadline, adding salary and finding out later that Kane is actually ready.

That could make things tricky as the Oilers will have to keep him out, missing valuable time to get up to speed.

If Bowman adds only up to the $3 million or so he knows he has, he can still get a valuable player or two.

Remember, salaries are pro-rated at the deadline, meaning a player with a $4 million annual salary can be had for just $1 million if a quarter of the season remains.

Bowman called the difference between the $5.1 and the $3 million negligible.

What moving Kane to LTIR now does or findout for certain that Kane isnt going to be back until the playoffs is give Bowman the freedom to go big-game hunting.

He can add a player with a significant salary or he can add two guys, both with sizeable cap hits.

But do the Oilers really need to do that? If they do, go for it.

If they dont, the downside is whatever time it takes Kane to get up to speed works against the Oilers.

How Important Is a Fully-Effective Evander Kane? If Kane needs time when hes back on the ice to be himself, how effective will he really be? And, is a less-effective Kane best for the Oilers? One could argue that a healthy Kane playing his best hockey is a bigger game-changer than anything else the Oilers might add.

Whenever Im 100 percent, I will make myself available and intend to play hockey, Kane said via Zoom.

Im doing everything I can to make sure thats as soon as possible.

Thats great, but how many games will it take Kane to catch up to NHL speed and then ramp up for the pace of the playoffs? Can he do it Game 1? Or, will he need a series or two? Kane has missed more time than Mark Stone or Nikita Kucherov did, so its a relevant question the Oilers should factor in.

Whether Kane returns in March, April, or beyond, Edmonton will need to weigh the difference between adding a couple extra million worth of a player or two versus having Kane back and up to speed.

Which makes a bigger dent? This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission..

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