As Oilers prepare for Game 3 of Stanley Cup Final, questions swirl about health of Evander Kane

Before the Edmonton Oilers practice began, Kris Knoblauch engaged in a conversation with Evander Kane that lasted approximately five minutes. Kane left the ice shortly after receiving instructions from his coach.

Kane has been dealing with a sports hernia that has affected his performance, resulting in just one point in eight games. With the Oilers trailing the Florida Panthers 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Final, the possibility of benching the 32-year-old winger for the first time this postseason in Game 3 on Thursday night is being considered.

“Having Evander in our lineup adds physicality and hits,” Knoblauch stated on Wednesday. “As a coaching staff, we are faced with difficult decisions in measuring his impact on the team.”

The history of hockey is filled with stories of NHL players pushing through painful injuries in pursuit of the Stanley Cup. Bobby Baun famously scored for Toronto in overtime of Game 6 of the final after breaking his ankle in the third period. More recently, Patrice Bergeron played Game 6 of the 2013 final with a punctured lung, Zdeno Chara finished the 2019 final with a broken jaw, and Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk scored a tying goal in the previous year’s final with a broken sternum before being sidelined.

Kane’s current situation, not being fully healthy at this stage of the playoffs, is reminiscent of Tkachuk’s experience, which Panthers coach Paul Maurice eventually had to take charge of.

Tkachuk suffered a broken sternum in Game 3 of the final against Vegas, yet still felt he deserved to play in Game 4.

“He didn’t play the next game,” Maurice explained. “To his credit, he had three good chances to score when we were trailing by a goal. He was in front of the net, and if he had been healthy, based on his performance in the playoffs, he would have scored. But he couldn’t. He gave it his all.”

In Game 3 of the current final, Kane played over 10 minutes and was on the ice for two Panthers goals. Despite not practicing throughout the postseason, he has been determined to stay in the lineup.

“Many players are dealing with different challenges,” Kane mentioned.

“There was a sports commentator who once said something that stuck with me: If you’re on the field, people expect you to perform at your best. If you’re dressed, they expect you to play like you’re fully fit. That’s the expectation as an athlete, despite the reality of the situation.”

Knoblauch previously noted in the series that Kane has been limited and not his usual self. The decision-making process between a player’s effectiveness while injured and making a change is a challenging one.

“We evaluate their on-ice contributions and the leadership they bring,” Knoblauch explained. “Each player is unique. Are they contributing on penalty kills? Scoring crucial goals? Or providing physicality?”

One advantage for the Oilers is their depth, with 14 forwards participating in this playoff run.

“Kris and the coaching staff have made various decisions throughout, and everyone has been prepared to step in and contribute. Players who have been benched have stayed ready and made a positive impact when they returned,” stated captain Connor McDavid.

“It’s unfortunate when players have to sit out games, but everyone is pulling their weight here. Everyone understands the situation we’re in.”

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Edmonton Oilers hoping to bring the Stanley Cup home after 3 decades

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