The Edmonton Oilers came away empty-handed in their pursuit of Nikita Zadorov, leaving one noticeable question hanging over a roster built to compete for the Stanley Cup.
While the team still boasts elite firepower, the failed chase has renewed debate about whether Edmonton has enough size and intimidation when playoff hockey turns punishing. This conversation has now shifted toward a familiar face, with one veteran observer arguing the answer could already be sitting on the open market.
Oilers Urged to Sign Evander Kane After Failed Nikita Zadorov Pursuit
The player being linked back to Edmonton is Evander Kane, and veteran Edmonton Journal columnist David Staples believes general manager Stan Bowman should seriously explore a reunion.
After missing out on Zadorov as their Darnell Nurse trade with Boston failed, Staples argues the Oilers still lack the kind of physical presence that changes the tone of a playoff series and discourages opponents from targeting Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Staples acknowledged that the idea would divide the fan base, writing, “A lot of Oilers fans won’t like the notion of Edmonton almost trading for Zadorov.”
Even so, he pointed to the 2024 playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks as proof that intimidating players can alter the outcome of a matchup.
Reflecting on that series, Staples wrote, “If the Oilers had not had the nuclear deterrent of Evander Kane in that series, Zadorov was so fierce and physically forceful with his hitting, hammering top Oilers players with wicked body blows, that I believe Vancouver would have won that series.”
He added that Zadorov “was dominating play through raw intimidation until Kane stepped up and went after him,” highlighting the value of having someone willing to answer the league’s toughest players when emotions run high.
Staples did not stop there.
He described Zadorov as “the NHL’s most dominant intimidator, an apex predator,” before naming Washington’s Tom Wilson, Florida’s Radko Gudas, and “maybe still Evander Kane” as the only players who belong in that conversation.
He ultimately concluded, “I believe the Oilers could dearly use that kind of player, so much so that I’m open to them now bringing back Kane to the team.”
His argument comes as Edmonton enters a new chapter with Mike Babcock behind the bench and a roster that has undergone meaningful changes.
After moving Nurse to the San Jose Sharks without retaining any salary, the Oilers created cap space, allowing Bowman to add depth through Mathieu Joseph, Max Jones, Ryan Shea, and veteran goaltender Frederik Andersen.
ALSO READ: Former Maple Leafs Blueliner Launches At Oilers HC Mike Babcock
A Kane reunion is also more realistic financially than it once appeared.
The 34-year-old is coming off a rough season with the Vancouver Canucks after the Oilers’ 2025 trade and recorded 13 goals and 31 points across 71 games.
With his previous four-year, $20.5 million contract now done with, he is expected to command a much smaller deal and likely accept a reduced role.
