Evander Kane is back in Edmonton's orbit as Mike Babcock and the Oilers weigh an unexpected reunion up front.
The possibility surfaced after Edmonton's attempt to reshape its blue line reportedly broke down during trade talks with the Boston Bruins.
The Oilers discussed sending Darnell Nurse to Boston for Nikita Zadorov, but Zadorov reportedly used his trade protection to block the move.
Edmonton later dealt Nurse to the San Jose Sharks for defensive prospect Shakir Mukhamadullin, closing one chapter without adding the veteran edge Zadorov would have supplied.
That sequence has reopened the debate around Kane, who finished last season with the Vancouver Canucks and entered the summer as an unrestricted free agent.
-
Edmonton Journal columnist David Staples believes the Oilers still need a player capable of changing the temperature of a game through physical pressure.
Failed trade puts Kane back on Edmonton's radar
“I see Zadorov as the NHL's most dominant intimidator, an apex predator,” Staples wrote while explaining why the failed deal mattered.
Kane offers a different position and playing style, but the attraction is easy to understand. He can work inside the top six, attack the crease and bring bite to a lineup built around elite skill.
A reunion would still carry risk. Kane's first run in Edmonton included injuries, off-ice noise and a relationship that eventually ended with the Oilers moving him to Vancouver.
But his current market could change the equation. A short-term contract at a manageable cap hit would give Edmonton another winger without locking the club into a long commitment.
The Oilers would also need Kane to accept a defined role under Babcock. He wouldn't be returning as a guaranteed focal point, and his place on the power play or inside the top six would have to be earned.
For Stan Bowman, the decision comes down to fit, price and trust. Edmonton doesn't need another major contract, but it could use a proven winger willing to play with urgency around the net.
The Zadorov trade never crossed the finish line. That failure may have created a second opening for Kane, giving both sides one more chance to decide whether their unfinished business is worth revisiting.
Should the Oilers bring Evander Kane back on a short-term deal?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Hockey world mourns 21-year-old defenseman after tragic death
