SAN JOSE – Former Sharks ahead Evander Kane hasn’t had any points becoming into his new environment, averaging practically a degree per sport for the Edmonton Oilers as they proceed their push for a playoff spot within the Western Convention.
Earlier than Tuesday’s sport between the Sharks and Oilers at SAP Middle, Kane had 28 factors, together with 16 targets, in 31 video games with the Oilers since he signed a one-year contract with them on Jan. 27. He’s third on the crew in that point behind Connor McDavid (47 factors) and Leon Drasaitl (42).
“He simply finds methods to attain,” Oilers ahead Ryan Nugent-Hopkins stated of Kane. “He’s at all times in the suitable spot to get an opportunity to attain.”
The Oilers (40-25-5) entered Tuesday in third place within the Pacific Division with 85 factors, three factors forward of the Vegas Golden Knights, who held the second wild-card spot within the Western Convention.
With Kane, Edmonton has gone 19-9-3 for a .661 factors proportion, the sixth-best within the NHL since Jan. 28.
“Evander Kane has excellent habits. I feel he has a excessive hockey intelligence,” Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft stated Tuesday morning. “He makes good performs with the puck, he’s at his finest when he’s bodily, and being bodily doesn’t at all times simply imply operating somebody by means of the top wall.
“It’s successful the 50/50 battle to physique place, it’s keen to go to the blue paint and cease and take the abuse that you just may invite by doing so. I’ve been very impressed with Evander.”
Kane’s manufacturing in his first two-plus months with the Oilers is paying homage to how properly he performed in his first few weeks with the Sharks greater than 4 years in the past.
After he was acquired by the Sharks on Feb. 26, 2018. Kane had 14 factors in 17 video games because the Sharks went 11-5-1 down the stretch and completed third within the Pacific Division that season. San Jose later misplaced to the Golden Knights within the second spherical of the playoffs.
The Sharks that offseason signed Kane to a seven-year, $49 million contract, which the crew terminated in January for what it believed was Kane’s materials breach of the deal in addition to his violation of AHL COVID-19 protocols.
The NHL Gamers’ Affiliation filed a grievance on his behalf, and the matter is predicted to be heard by an unbiased arbitrator this summer season. There stays an opportunity the Sharks should take again a part of Kane’s contract and have it rely in opposition to their wage cap.
Kane was booed by Sharks followers each time he touched the puck on Feb. 14 when San Jose misplaced at residence to the Oilers 3-0. Kane didn’t have a degree that night time however scored an empty-net purpose in Edmonton’s 5-2 win over the Sharks on March 24.
“He’s moved on, we’ve moved on,” Sharks coach Bob Boughner stated. “We’ve performed these guys since he moved to Edmonton. I don’t assume there’s a number of drama behind this sport by any means.”
Kane had 166 factors in 212 profession regular-season video games with the Sharks, and 13 factors in 29 playoff video games. Kane had not been in a playoff collection earlier than he got here to San Jose.
“The kinds of targets which are scored in late April, Could, and June are of a sure selection,” Woodcroft stated, “and I feel Evander Kane does a number of actually good issues that result in offense, and I feel he’s an underrated defensive participant as properly.”
LINEUP CHANGES: The Sharks are inserting ahead Jonah Gadjovich and defenseman Ryan Merkley rather than Jonathan Dahlen and Nicolas Meloche for Tuesday’s sport.
Merkley was a wholesome scratch Saturday within the Sharks’ 5-4 loss to the Dallas Stars however figures to be paired with Marc-Edouard Vlasic in opposition to the Oilers. Meloche had performed in 25 of the Sharks’ final 26 video games, averaging 16:52 of ice time per sport primarily on the Sharks’ third protection pair.
Boughner stated Meloche can be again within the lineup on Thursday when the Sharks host the Calgary Flames.
“He brings physicality, he brings depth,” Sharks coach Bob Boughner stated of Meloche. “This isn’t a choice primarily based on his sport in any way, it’s simply that we’ve bought eight wholesome (defensemen) and it’s a numbers factor. I had that dialogue with him this morning. He ought to be ok with the best way he’s performed and established himself.”
Dahlen missed 5 video games from March 22-31 after he was hit within the face with a puck in a March 20 sport in opposition to Arizona. In his return on Saturday, Dahlen began on Logan Couture’s line however was later moved down and completed with simply 9:36 of ice time.
NABBY RETURNS: Sharks goalie coach Evgeni Nabokov returned to the crew on Tuesday after an absence as a result of household commitments, Boughner stated. Dany Sabourin, the Barracuda’s goalie coach, had been filling in for Nabokov in current days.