Oilers News: Big Update On Evander Kane's Status

After spending the entire year out of the lineup recovering from abdominal surgery before the season and knee surgery in January, Evander Kane made his first appearance at an Edmonton Oilers practice, at the optional skate on Thursday morning.

We have our first Evander Kane sighting skating with the team taking morning skate. pic.twitter.com/GLd8kFd476
— Tom Gazzola (@TomGazzola) March 20, 2025

Evander Kane is back skating with the Oilers 👀 pic.twitter.com/Oq5bLlQGpH
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) March 20, 2025

The Oilers had already announced a couple of weeks ago that Kane and his $5.15M cap hit would remain on LTIR for the rest of the regular season. But the 33-year-old's return to the ice is a huge step towards his return to the lineup, that could take place in time for the start of the playoffs, which don't start for about a month.

After skating on his own for several weeks, this was Kane's first time on the ice for a full practice with the team.

Kane's physical presence, in addition to the recently acquired Trent Frederic (also out with injury), will provide a huge added dimension to the Edmonton lineup for the postseason.

Last year, Kane recorded 24 goals and 44 points in 77 games, while handing out 250 hits. Impressive numbers considering he was suffering from a sports hernia for much of that time, an ailment that caused him to miss the final five games of the Stanley Cup Final.

In the 20 postseason games he did play last year, he led the NHL with 37 penalty minutes, while handing out 64 hits.