The Edmonton Oilers noted that Evander Kane was sitting out Sunday’s game against the Ottawa Senators as a “maintenance day” precautionary measure. Head coach Kris Knoblauch called Kane a warrior and a competitor and said that if were up to the player, he would have played. Instead, he noted, “We felt for the long run, it was best for him to not play. “
But, one insider suggests there’s potentially more to this than a simple sitting to give Kane some rest.
Elliotte Friedman noted on the 32 Thoughts podcast (20-minute mark) that Kane being sat certainly could have something to do with lingering injury issues. Suggesting back-to-back games created a scenario where it was best to rest the forward makes some sense. However, he also noted that the media who heard Knoblauch call it a maintenance day didn’t exactly buy it.
Related: NHL Rumors: Oilers, Maple Leafs, Canucks, Red Wings
Saying that he doesn’t think Kane’s sitting was related to the heated conversation between Kane and Leon Draisaitl, Friedman wonders if another aspect of the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The Oilers were outplayed badly in Toronto. More than that, they would physically be dominated and Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were on the receiving end of many of the Maple Leafs’ attempts to push the Oilers around. Friedman believes the lack of a response by Edmonton, and particularly by Kane, might have played a factor in Kane sitting versus the Senators.
Friedman explained that the Oilers might have been trying to keep a lid on a healthy scratch for Kane more than it was a maintenance issue. The reporters who were there when Knoblauch made the comments didn’t believe it. Seeing as how things with Sean Couturier exploded in Philadelphia, the Oilers didn’t want that narrative floating around, so they called it “maintenance”. Friedman said, “They got their butts kicked. That’s a showcase game. That’s a big game, on a big stage and you never want to get your ass kicked like that.”
This wasn’t about embarrassing Kane. But, there was potentially some message-sending going on.
Kane Can Do Something About The Physicality
For Kane, Friedman was suggesting that he’s looked to as a player who can answer the bell physically. And, if he’s not scoring, he needs to be bringing that element every night. Many of the top teams abuse their opponents with rough play collectively. For the Oilers, Kane is a guy who can and should be getting involved in that kind of rough stuff. If he’s not protecting his star players, and he’s not scoring, what is he doing?
That could be why the Oilers chose to sit him against the Senators. It will be intriguing to see if Friedman’s theory is correct and if there’s a response on Tuesday as the Oilers take on the Winnipeg Jets.