Edmonton Oilers’ forward Evander Kane had high expectations entering the 2023-24 season. He was one of many forwards who were expected to explode offensively and help lift the team into a playoff spot and deep into the playoffs. He has been a solid player, as he has been since joining the team after departing the San Jose Sharks, but he has had some weaknesses this season. The high expectations placed on him haven’t been reached by any means but he has still been producing enough to keep himself in the top nine forward group.
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While the Oilers had an extremely slow start to the 2023-24 season, they have since turned it around and have found themselves fighting their way back up the Pacific Division standings. The Oilers chose to fire Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson and replace them with Kris Knoblauch and Paul Coffey on their coaching staff and while there were no hard feelings towards Woodcroft, the team needed to make a change, and that change seems to be working out quite well for them.
While Kane’s offensive game hasn’t been terrible, his defensive game hasn’t been great. With the Oilers exiting the holiday break having played the Sharks last night, let’s have a look at the offensive and defensive impact of Kane this season, and grade his play in both categories.
Offensive Production: B+
Kane joined the Oilers midway through the 2021-22 season where he exploded for 22 goals and 17 assists for 39 points through 43 games. Last season, he dealt with a major injury and only played 41 games. In those games, he scored 16 goals and added 12 assists for 28 points, finishing tied for eighth on the team in points, which was impressive considering the amount of games he missed.
This season, Kane has scored 13 goals and added 10 assists for 23 points through 32 games which places him sixth in team scoring. It’s nice to see the massive injury he dealt with last season hasn’t hurt his mentality and he still has the confidence to try things out, throw hits, and get into battles. He hasn’t been the best offensive player on the team by any means and while he hasn’t dominated, he has provided exactly what the Oilers need, which is depth scoring aside from their first line.
Defensive Production: C
Kane’s biggest issue this season and the main reason he has been dropped to the third line in recent games is his defensive game, or lack thereof. While his play hasn’t been the worst on the Oilers, there is a reason head coach Knoblauch has been cutting his ice time in favour of Warren Foegele and Mattias Janmark as of late. His defensive play this season gets a C grade from me, as it has been nothing short of average. If he can pick it up a little bit and be just a touch more responsible in his own end, it would be tough to continue dropping him out of the top-six forward group.
The new coaching staff has helped turn the Oilers’ defensive play around and it has been evident with their results since the change. Kane has been steadily improving at both ends of the ice, and it’s clear that being held accountable for his poor play earlier in the season is exactly what he needed to turn it around. Hopefully, he can continue progressing positively and be a big part of the Oilers’ success for the rest of the season as they fight their way back into the playoff picture.
Kane isn’t going anywhere and has solidified himself as a member of the team’s core moving forward this season. His impact both on and off the ice is exactly what the Oilers need out of him and they hope it’s what they continue to get. Hopefully, the Oilers can continue to progress positively and make a run for their first Stanley Cup since 1990. They have the team to do it, and Kane will be a huge part of their potential success.