Evander Kane spoke to the media after practice before the Edmonton Oilers play against the Winnipeg Jets.
Evander Kane spoke to the media after practice before the Edmonton Oilers play against the Winnipeg Jets.
EDMONTON -- Evander Kane's season has been less than rosy.
He's in the second year of a four year $5.125-million cap hit deal - third season with the team. Across the first 21 games of the season he and Zach Hyman were the two most consistent point producers.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POYtZi7zIDA[/embed]
Then something happened.
I don't claim to know what exactly that is, but I know that since then the offense has regressed in the opposite direction. Since then he hasn't played with the same assertion and aggression as we've come to expect from him.
Perhaps there is still a nagging injury - or maybe there is something in the water. Regardless, things seem to be coming to a head in a number of ways.
Around the trade deadline there were murmurs that there is trouble in paradise. On the Got Yer Back podcast, they were discussing a moment where Leon Draisaitl and Kane were both engaged in a heated moment on the Oilers bench.
Even further back, journalists deduced that Kane wasn't happy with his ice time. This was because of the way he answered specific questions surrounding his line mates - at a time where he had recently moved out of the top six and was playing less minutes per game.
On Sunday, Kris Knoblauch spoke to the media before the game against the Ottawa Senators. He said that Kane would miss the matchup because of a "maintenance day."
This appeared to be odd phrasing at the time (why not just say he's 'banged up' and needs a break?) so it raised a few eyebrows - even if most people left it alone.
With all of this drama going around - and Kane making a return to the lineup tonight - Kane spoke to the media present in Winnipeg this morning.
Right off the top of the availability Kane was asked how he was feeling after taking his maintenance day, "I feel good" was his curt reply.
The follow up question (asked by Gene Principe), "was it just the build up of things [where] just one game off gives you an extra few days to rest?"
Kane's response, "I guess so."
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQZAUUmBVO0[/embed]
This strikes me as an incredibly strange response to a question about an injury. Which begs the question - was he truly injured?
Of course, all of this is speculation at this point. Unless someone decides to set the record straight, this is what everyone is supposed to believe.
If Kane had responded with something to the effect of, "good to get an extra day off and recharge" no one would bat an eye. Instead, everyone wonders about what is really happening with Kane and the rest of the team and coaching staff.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paMwmJTFrdE[/embed]
Subscribe to Inside the Locker Room for exclusive interviews, as well as sights and sounds from Oilers practices.
Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss news, interviews or any other updates on the Oilers.
Related: Oilers Prospect Will Return From Retirement
Related: Leon Draisaitl Has Words For Evander Kane
Related: 42 Years Ago Today: Wayne Gretzky Makes History