Evander Kane Staying With the Oilers After Inking 4-Year, $20.5 Million Deal

Evander Kane with the Sharks in 2018
Evander Kane with the Sharks in 2018. Photo by Mike Wulf/CSM/REX/Shutterstock

Controversial veteran winger Evander Kane won’t be leaving the Edmonton Oilers despite multiple reports indicating otherwise in the past couple of days. Instead, Kane decided to ink a four-year deal with the franchise that will keep him an Oiler throughout the 2025-26 NHL season.

Kane was set to become a free agent on Tuesday night, and there appeared to be slim chances of him staying in Edmonton. His representatives even got permission to talk with other teams and Kane seemed as good as gone. But then the Oilers returned with one final offer before the deadline and this push proved to be enough to seal the deal.

Reportedly, Kane would command somewhere around $7 million per year if he decided to hit the free agency. He was arguably the most prolific scorer available, and there were plenty of teams on the market for firepower. However, Kane eventually decided to stick with his guts and take less money for his Edmonton stay.

“A big part of my decision to stay in Edmonton was because of the opportunity given to me only seven months ago, but also the chance to be a part of a championship team,” Kane wrote in a statement published on social media. “I want to win, and I believe, after signing this deal, we will be able to add the right pieces along with myself to accomplish that goal.”

Evander Kane has been at the center of numerous controversies in recent years, with some of them being so severe that the San Jose Sharks decided to terminate his contract midway through the 2021–22 campaign. It didn’t need much for the Oilers to come calling, and the move worked out for both sides.

The Oilers finished second in Pacific Division and then went on a Stanley Cup playoffs run that saw them reach Conference Finals for the first time since 2005–06. On the other hand, Kane showed he can still play by contributing 39 points in 22 regular season games and then leading the league with 15 goals in the playoffs. 

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