Less than two days after losing the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers, the Edmonton Oilers have found themselves in another difficult situation. The NHL has reportedly opened an investigation into the team’s use of long-term injured reserve (LTIR) related to forward Evander Kane.
NHL Digging Deeper Into Evander Kane’s Injury Timeline
The growing attention on the Oilers’ handling of Kane’s injury status was highlighted by NHL insider Frank Seravalli, who reported on X that the league is continuing its investigation.
Sources: #NHL plans to continue to examine the #Oilers usage of LTIR salary cap relief for forward Evander Kane.
The NHL may require more information to satisfy itself that the #Oilers complied with the CBA.
Details:https://t.co/b4eWPlFvwl
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 18, 2025
According to Seravalli, the NHL may request more details before determining whether Edmonton stayed within the guidelines of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). While the team has reportedly provided full medical documentation, the league’s decision to keep the file open suggests that officials are still weighing whether the Oilers’ actions respected the spirit of the cap rules, even if they followed them by the letter.
Kane didn’t play a single regular-season game. He was recovering from two surgeries: one in September for abdominal and groin injuries, and another in January to remove a growth in his knee. He returned for Game 2 of the first-round playoff series against the Kings, raising questions about the timing of his activation.
According to reports, the Oilers have given the league all requested medical information and have cooperated fully.
Evander Kane will play tonight in Game 2 against the Kings 👀
It will be his first game of the season pic.twitter.com/O26rwIhgYv
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 23, 2025
The Oilers officially placed Kane, 33, on LTIR at the start of the season. But they didn’t use the cap relief until the trade deadline approached in March, acquiring forward Trent Frederic and defenseman Jake Walman. According to insiders, the team waited to use the space until doctors confirmed Kane wouldn’t be available for the regular season.
The Oilers have determined after further consultation with team medical staff that forward Evander Kane will not be ready to return to action for the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season. He will remain on LTIR (long term injured reserve).
— Mike Morreale (@mikemorrealeNHL) March 7, 2025
Many fans are now asking why the Oilers are under review when other clubs have deployed similar tactics. The Tampa Bay Lightning activated Nikita Kucherov for the 2021 playoffs after missing the entire regular season. Florida had Matthew Tkachuk on LTIR this season before he returned in time for the postseason. Neither team faced consequences.
Evander Kane’s Case Puts Oilers in the Crosshairs of NHL Scrutiny
Kane’s playoff run included 12 points and over 30 penalty minutes. He drew criticism after being ejected from the final game and skipping the handshake line. With one year left on a $20.5 million deal, he’s expected to be in trade talks this offseason, especially as Edmonton plans around upcoming contract extensions for Connor McDavid and Evan Bouchard.
No NHL team has ever been punished for LTIR-related decisions during the salary cap era. But if the Oilers are found to have violated rules, intentionally or not, they could face fines or lose draft picks. That would complicate things further for a team already dealing with cap pressure and playoff disappointment.
The league’s review is still ongoing. It’s unclear what prompted the extra scrutiny in this case. For now, both Kane and the Oilers are left waiting to see what happens next.
