The Oilers timed the Evander Kane return just right. All those injuries and procedures needed time to heal, and the big man looks top drawer in the playoffs this spring.
How valuable is a power forward with speed and a plus shot at this time of year? Massive. He is 2-1-3 through five playoff games in 2025, and looks to be a big piece for the team over the rest of the postseason.
Kane’s signing to a long-term deal repeated a problem this team has lived with for several years. Players who own a style like Kane’s resume often get hurt. The organization values what these players bring, so these big men play through injuries deemed less than lineup altering.
So, when Kane signed a four-year deal ($5.13AAV via PuckPedia) Oilers fans knew health was a part of the deal. There would be times when he wasn’t available (43, 41, 77 and zero games, by regular season) but his unique qualities were viewed as being worth the risk.
The trick is to sign physical wingers in their late 20’s to shorter deals that do no include any kind of no-movement clause. The Oilers are (I hope) going to take a run at Trent Frederic before July 1, and a three-year deal should be the outer marker.
Which brings us back to Kane. He has one year left on his deal, and he is playing well. The AAV on the contract is more than justified if he can play this well next season and in the playoffs 2026.
We spent a lot of time contemplating a Kane trade at the deadline. Stan Bowman kept his powder dry. It is turning out very well. Should the Oilers keep Kane for his final season, while also signing Trent Frederic to a three-year deal?
New for The Athletic: How Ty Emberson’s role with Edmonton Oilers has evolved in NHL playoffs
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6331349/2025/05/04/oilers-ty-emberson-stats-nhl-playoffs/
Keep Kane for his contract year. He’s healthy and will be well motivated to earn another big contract.
Given his injury history I doubt he fetches much value in a trade.
I think I want Winnipeg to win tonight as I’m not sure the Blues can beat the Stars but the Jets maybe can (if their goalie finds a semblance of his normal game).
Don’t get be wrong, I think the Oilers can beat the Stars again in a re-match but they will be a tough out.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers
Game 1: Tuesday, May 6, 9:30 p.m.
Game 2: Thursday, May 8, 9:30 p.m.
Game 3: Saturday, May 10, TBD
Game 4: Monday, May 12, TBD
* Game 5: Wednesday, May 14, TBD
* Game 6: Friday, May 16, TBD
* Game 7: Sunday, May 18, TBD
Notable for no extra days off while the Leafs/Panthers & Capitals/Hurricanes get a 2 day break for game # 5. No schedule for Jets/Blues vs Stars yet obviously.
having the Nurse Bouchard duo out against the Eichel line makes me a bit nervous. Stoping that line will be the key to the series
If Kane has an excellent playoff you have to sell high.
Too depleted on youth and draft picks. If this wasn’t so I’d keep him.
Too bad we didn’t have a GM like Sather still… If Slats was GM last summer he’d have matched both offer sheets and traded both players this summer. I’d bet on it.
Unfortunately slats couldn’t have matched the offer sheets without trading someone and everyone has NMCs. So would dumping Ekholm for cheap to keep Broberg for a year help us that much?
If someone offers full value for Kane you trade him. Otherwise you keep him. It’s his last chance at a pay day and he’ll be motivated
They had the cap room with Kane on LTIR
I listened to The Athletic hockey podcast this week. They covered the 2025 draft class, the conclusion was a weak top 10 and no consensus of what the first round picks would be…still to early???
The O’Reilly trade last year is looking like one of those small smart moves, good clubs make to win.
The player seems to be popping right now.
Ah, but then the next two drafts after this year’s will really be something.
Misa and Schaefer have been projected to be #2 and #1 respectively for a while now, though. Did that change at The Athletic when both ran into the Knights juggernaut during the OHL playoffs? That’s a bit unfair!
Per Stauff:
Not surprised to see no changes.
I wouldn’t touch the bottom two lines right now but could/would be amenable mixing up the top 6 a bit for split McDavid/Leon.
Then again, I think some models had the Kane/Nuge/Hyman line as the best line in the 1st round – expected numbers.
Nurse-Bouchard was a massive problem vs the Kings, it’s a pairing that’s unlikely to be much different vs the Knights.
Prior to Kane playing these playoffs I would have bet large Kane would be traded in the summer, It could still be the right call but we need to see the results of these playoffs before making any decision on Kane. On Fredrick I think a decision could be made anytime soon as it would not be an over exagerated contract
Yes, keep Kane.
Excited to see if the new big bad Oilers can wear down the trees Vegas deploys.
Hyman may break 100 hits by the end of the series lol
Lots of players fade when the competition gets tougher and the game tougher in the playoffs.
The Oilers seems to have quite a few guys that step up their games from the depths – Brown, Janmark, Kane, Klingberg, Rico, Kulak
Their top guys also either at least match regular season impact or, again, improve – Bouch, McDavid, Hyman, Drai, etc.
Nurse is an outlier here – hope he can simplify in the defensive zone and gain confidence in zone denial.
Nurse seems to struggle generally in the first pairing and seems much better in the second. If Coffey is stubborn with his deployment, EDM is going to get behind and chase because of the Nurse-Bouchard pairing.
I think they should try flipping Nurse and Walman
Cap space is important but, if Kane is healthy, he’s still a 25 goal guy that brings other elements (acknowledging some warts in his 2-way game) and, importantly, a guy that tends to step up in the playoffs (when healthy).
A healthy Kane is value for $5MM even at 34.
I say ride that contract through. A final year of effective Kane is worth losing him for ‘nothing,’ and little is lost letting a player that age find a new rink. For all we know Kane may be willing to re-sign one-year contracts after this (I don’t personally think that to be the case, but who’s to say what Kane will want two playoffs from now).
Adding Kane and Frederic with increasing health made a massive difference – players get pressed down the lineup (and out of the lineup) and the team is deeper and better.
McDavid and Drai played 21-22 minute in game 6 – average ice time for them.
Klingberg had a similar impact in the backend.
The Oilers are healthy scratching legit NHL players both up front (Skinner, Kap and Ryan and Jones to a lesser extent) and in the backend (Stecher).
I do think we get to Adin Hill even though he’s played well against us. We now have a a better read on his weak spots. How many games will Pickard need to win in a row before the mob allows him the following start under or over seven?
Win and you’re in. Same applies to Skinner. They now have dueling goaltenders.
So if either one loses a game you sit him the following game. Didn’t Boston kinda try that with Swayman and Ullmark a few years back. I have no idea how many consecutive starts Pickard career high is but it has to be under ten.
Whether the team keeps him or not, the fact that Kane is back and showing he can still play is great news for the Oilers. He’s either staking a claim to a roster spot next year or upping his trade value in a year without many comparable options in UFA. NJ seems like they’d be a good candidate to send a pick or two our way for him.
I have no problem keeping Kane for the last year of his contract. It is a good and reasonable decision.
But the Oilers are unlikely to him sign him again, so if he could be monetized for a young cheap right shot D from the eastern conference where Tom and Brady and Matt #1and Matt #2 and big bad Florida run wild, then I would do it.
Hence the concept of Evander Kane for Simon Nemec that I suggested yesterday.
Kane might be willing to waive his NMC during the summer, because an extension with a team in the east for teams that need him urgently, like New Jersey, is more likely.
But, like I said, I have no issues with keeping Kane for the last year of his contract. I am fine with that too.
The fly in the Nemec idea is that Kovacevic is unlikely be ready for the start of next season, so there is a open spot for Nemec to play next season in New Jersey in October. Nemec was being “broberged” in New Jersey behind Hamilton, Pesce, and Kovacevic.
A motivated Kane is a good Kane
I agree with both positions, it’s where I’ve landed as well. Though I’d be aiming at a different target than Nemec.
Keep the big man as an own rental — the cost to acquire a player of similar ilk is going to be astronomical at the deadline. And there’s no guarantee of fit with the existing core. So there’s risk.
On the other hand, if we can parlay a player we signed for only money into a real asset, that would go a long way to filling in the donut hole in the roster that’s starting to reemerge (the prime years). Key to continual contention is to keep restocking the prime age players who play behind Leon and Connor. We’ve got the key piece(s) in Bouchard and Skinner, YMMV, but they need more support on their flanks.
It would be a dirty move to send Kane to BUF again (NTC says hello), but maybe a three way trade could be worked out to get JJ Peterka here for Kane via another team.
Another upcoming RFA of note would be K’Andre Miller in NYR.
Otherwise and established top-4 RHD would be the target. I was keen on Carlo, but TML scooped him. Someone to balance the walkaboutisms by the likes of Nurse and Walman would go a long way.
Two upcoming RFA defensemen I like are Alexander Romanov (NYI) and Mason Lohrei (BOS). Both have boots, can/have played their off side, and play a style with and away from the puck that would be a fit on this team for years to come. Main downside, LH shots.
I’m sure Kane loves it in Edmonton a fierce competitor great team guy etc I do believe he’s showing all the G.M’s he’s healthy and still has 3-4 years left in the tank as a top 6 forward and will be gunning for a final payday. I think Kane would welcome a squad where he gets more PP time to bump him back up to a 30 goal man. Edmonton only has so much PP time and Kane is lucky to see the final 25 seconds of most P.P. I do think Kane and Bowman will pick out a preferred destination somewhere out East
If the value is there for a quality re-stock, sure.
Of course a healthy Kane has value too, and letting him ride out the contract might be another side of being ‘all in now.’
If Kane continues being a beast I wonder what he fetches out East. Kane has gone from less then no value to ? In a span of 2 weeks. As Godot brought up yesterday what he thinks a desperate Devils may offer for the power forward. I love Kane but I do think Bowman will deal him this summer.
Why would the Avs trade Rantinen in the first place? He’s a proven player in the regular season and especially the playoffs. For cap reasons you can always make it work for a player of his caliber.
Very strange
The Oilers are in a unique position of being a small market but being cash rich. Perhaps the Avs don’t have the revenue to pay at least three guys top dollars and fill a team out
The Avalanche are owned by Stan Kroenke.
He has a net worth of $18 billion.
He also owns the LA Rams, the Denver Nuggets, the UKs Arsenal as well as 1.6 million acres of ranch lands in the US and Canada.
Money is NOT an issue.
At the time of the Rantanen trade, the Avalanche desperately needed to change their centre depth and moving him allowed them to add Brock Nelson ($3M) Charlie Coyle ($5.25M) and Jack Drury ($1.75M) as well as picking up Martin Necas ($6.5M).
That, and with an eye to the next contract for Cale Makar, made paying a 29 year old $12 million for 8 years an iffy proposition.
Dallas could more easily absorb the inherent risk since they have Jamie Benn ($9M) and Tyler Seguin ($9.75M) coming off the cap early in the Rantanen extension.
While I am sure there is some immediate regret in losing to Dallas, in reality, the series loss actually hinged on flukey bounce off Sam Girard’s skate.
https://www.nhl.com/video/col-dal-rantanen-scores-goal-against-mackenzie-blackwood-6372314459112
Rantanen was a beast of course but that lucky goal erased a 2-1 Colorado lead and made a significant difference in the games outcome.
Shit happens.
Ahh yes, Rantanen getting 8 points in the last 2 games can all be accounted for and excused by one flukey goal. You must tire yourself out with all the mental gymnastics you do to defend your takes.
He did even better than that….11 points in 3 games.
If Dallas advances to the finals…he might be a shoe in for the Conn Smythe
Moneypuck now has Dallas as 3rd favourite to make the finals at 28.5% slightly behind Vegas at 28.9% and Florida at 29.2%
what happened to the leafs. You fell off that bandwagon already?
26.5%
Shit has happened 7 times in a row for the Avalanche in game 7s. Longest such streak ever in North American pro sports history.
So, you’re saying they’re very competitive.
Well they borrowed Nelson and they will likely lose him. So they didn’t really address the center depth issue at all. Rantanen also didn’t know he was about to get traded. Seems like they were happy enough to get rid of him.
An owner’s wealth doesn’t relate to a team’s revenue necessarily. If the owner’s wealth comes from the team yes, if not then no
You would know this from your background, an owner just because wealthy will not sink money into a money loser, unless they think they have a strong prospect to see it returned. Or they wouldn’t be wealthy, blowing money like that
After a quick look it seems the Avs in 23/24 were 22nd in revenue (Oilers 2nd). They seem to spend to the cap though. Maybe it’s becoming an issue
To be fair, the first season he played 43 games after arriving in Edmonton mid season (did he even miss a game?), then tied MacKinnon for most playoff goals (in 15 games). I would also suggest the wrist blade injury had nothing to do with his style of play, and he would have played games this season if his surgeries weren’t deferred until preseason and mid season, which was likely by design
Yes, the wrist cut was a freak accident that could have happened to any player at any age. And it accounted for 30+ games lost that season.
This could of been a career ender as Kane lives off his heavy Messier like snap short that’s usually low and hard.
How bad are the Avholes when they can’t even beat the Stars when Big D is missing their big D and Robertson?
Colorado sure Munson’ed themselves with Rantanen though. Think he was a little bit motivated to stick it to his old club?
The irony of losing game 7 4-2 because the player you traded scored a hat trick and got four points is delicious.
In the second half of the 3rd period while being down by two. Dick Turpin at least wore a mask.
How pissed off is Mackinnon right now?
Crosby can buy him a doughnut and a couple packs of cards to cheer him up this summer.
Rumour is he added a couple empty calorie carb bomb croutons to his post game salad last night in Dallas. Guy is fuming!
The important thing is Colorado saved a bit of money while jettisoning their entire future and best prospect and superstar player.
The team is much better when it has some true push back, and push ahead. Initiating instead of reacting changes the dynamics. This team reminds me of the dynasty team in the make up of the best players, except the Managers couldn’t fill the roster out well enough to finish the job
So if Frederic is as good as you say LT, on a fair contract I think you keep him. Keep them both to match up to the big teams and the aggressive teams. It means the Tom Wilsons can’t run amok with no answer, and we have seen how it neutralizes players like Tkachuk
I think they could use some more of it in the D corp as well
Alexander Romanov is that guy. Upcoming RFA, can skate very well, not puck optional, and aggressive without the puck.
Oilers will need them both if they are fortunate enough to meet FLA again. This year or next. Heck they’ll need both this Tuesday against a beefy Vegas side.
A couple of the EST guys saying that Nurse’s numbers are not good because he’s been playing with a “dumpster fire” in Bouchard is not something I can agree with.
Of course, over time, in all situations, no matter who he plays with, those numbers are always better with Bouchard on the ice and his linemates have better numbers with Bouchard on the ice.
I’m not a Nurse basher but his play has regressed in the playoffs (and this is now a real thing, yearly) and I can’t agree that it’s Bouchard cratering him (even if the combo is struggling as a duo).
They need to look at the numbers better! Every guy Nurse played with had numbers go down. Bouch numbers went up with every single other player he played with (really good numbers with Kulak). Extremely easy to see who was bringing who down. Nurse had a great regular season this year but he had a really bad playoffs so far (on his own merit)
I largely agree with this, but there’s been a couple times where it looks like Nurse has abandoned his assignment to cover what looks like Bouchard mistakes. You might not agree with this, which is fair. And even if it’s true, Nurse can’t abandon his position to chase problems caused by other players. IMO Nurse causes chaos when he tries to do too much.
Bouch to me is a smart player who by his nature does have lapses. But there aren’t many true stud D that don’t
My main critique of Bouch is he hasn’t learned when to pressure a guy hard. But the whole team plays that way so it holds him back. Over the last while when he was getting blamed I looked at the plays and Bouch was trying to survive in bad spots from others mistakes or lost battles
Nurse as you said shouldn’t try to be compensating for his better and more skilled partner, do you’re own job and learn when the danger is immediate and when to attack them directly not sitting no man’s land. Thats where they mainly keep getting burnt as I see it
Other elite defenseman make the same mistakes as Bouch because they are driven to attack. Only difference is guys like Makar and Hughes have elite skating that help bail them out when they make mistakes. Bouch doesn’t have that speed. This is why his numbers are so good will Walman, Ek and Kulak because they anticipate Bouch’s moves and properly cover if mistake happens.
I would support a Walman-Bouchard or Kulak-Bouchard pair over Nurse-Bouchard for certain. Coffey needs to get with it, or EDM will be chasing.
Might be occasions of this but he is very poor with his puck management. He does not know what to do with the puck when he has it and indecision causes panic. He has had the puck in his own end with lots of time and fires it around the boards to be intercepted. Team spends more time defending when Nurse is on. Team spends more time attacking when Bouch is on with any other partner.
You mean the folks who all picked LA?
They’re asleep before the puck drops. Their knowledge of the west is fleeting at best.
Did Tommy and Dusty pick LA? I’m not sure.
I know Struddy did.
Struddy who was most often observed digging the puck out of his own net when the other team scored…
G & xG WOWY’s vs Kings say the issue is with Nurse.
I’d like to see more from Frederick before contemplating signing him
if Kane keeps playing like he is then u keep him
About the Oilers defense:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6325483/2025/05/03/edmonton-oilers-nhl-playoffs-defence-knoblauch/
We sure Kane my friend!
Watching the Rantanen Revenge tour last night is probably a good reminder. Although I doubt any Oiler GM would be foolish enough to let him go to a Western team. However, I doubt the Avs foresaw Rantanen coming back this way either.
That boomerang hit the avs right in the face