Should the Oilers Trade Evander Kane or Ride One More Year?
Let’s talk about a major question looming over the Edmonton Oilers this offseason—what should they do with Evander Kane?
Now, if you watched the 2025 playoffs, Kane stood out. Statistically, he was a powerhouse. He led the Oilers in goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five and was ranked fifth among all NHL forwards in that category during the postseason. That’s impressive. He scored six goals in tight-checking playoff hockey, a scenario where goals are tough to come by. And when he was on, he was on . But—and it’s a big “but”—he also racked up 30 penalty minutes in the Stanley Cup Final. That’s a huge red flag. He went from being a top-line threat to a player the coaches hesitated to use, mostly because of those penalties and how the refs were calling him early in the series.
The Oilers are in a tough spot. Kane still brings value. He’s 33, but he hasn’t lost that ability to beat goalies clean, has solid foot speed, and is a punishing physical force on the forecheck. He’s not your go-to passer, but he contributes offensively and brings a kind of edge you can’t teach. He’s intimidating out there—plain and simple.
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But then there’s the injury concern. He didn’t play a single regular-season game in 2024–25. And when he’s not healthy, you can’t get full “Evander Kane mode.” That’s a gamble for any team, let alone one chasing a Cup with limited cap space.
That cap space, by the way, is tight. Evan Bouchard’s next contract could hit $10 million, and the Oilers only have about $12 million to work with— total . Once they sign Bouchard, they’ll be left with just around $2 million for three more players. That’s cutting it really close, especially if they also want to sign someone like Trent Frederic, who’s younger, less costly, but also not as offensively dynamic as Kane.
So here’s the real dilemma: do you keep Kane for one more run, knowing his offensive upside and physical presence might be the missing piece again next postseason? Or do you cut ties, clear that $5.125 million cap hit, and invest in youth and health reliability with someone like Frederic—even if he’s less of a game-breaker?
The decision isn’t black and white. On one hand, Kane could provide one last impactful year and help the Oilers make another deep playoff push. On the other, his injuries and style carry risk, and the team can’t afford to misfire with contracts right now.
Bottom line: Trading Kane might be the smart cap move. But it doesn’t necessarily make the team better. And if the goal is the Cup, Edmonton might need to seriously ask themselves—can they really do it without Kane, or should they go all in one last time with him on board?
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