LeBrun: Evander Kane close to signing, will happen by the weekend per his agent (EDM, FLA, TB top 3 choices)

[dtown77]

I feel bad for Ken Holland in way. I liked him here in Detroit until he started standing pat (which i get on some level) and started grasping for straws at the end. Now he is grasping for straws again in Edmonton. Knowing how he did things in Detroit, Kane is a player he would never bring in unless he was desperate. He failed at building around talent that from my very novice opinion shouldn't be horribly difficult for a good GM. I get that Kane could be a rental that you bring in who can just as easily be send out. I just feel bad that it's come to this for him. I feel like he is swallowing his pride with his second chance nonsense. As for other teams in on Kane such as Tampa and Florida I don't know their GM's.. As I said above I just don't see this as a move Holland would make in general. So if he is trying to make it.. He knows he's in trouble.

 

[Mr Positive]

I feel bad for Ken Holland in way. I liked him here in Detroit until he started standing pat (which i get on some level) and started grasping for straws at the end. Now he is grasping for straws again in Edmonton. Knowing how he did things in Detroit, Kane is a player he would never bring in unless he was desperate. He failed at building around talent that from my very novice opinion shouldn't be horribly difficult for a good GM. I get that Kane could be a rental that you bring in who can just as easily be send out. I just feel bad that it's come to this for him. I feel like he is swallowing his pride with his second chance nonsense. As for other teams in on Kane such as Tampa and Florida I don't know their GM's.. As I said above I just don't see this as a move Holland would make in general. So if he is trying to make it.. He knows he's in trouble.

His last years at Detroit were awful. So far on the Oilers it's been a mixed bag. You call it grasping at straws, but he has been chipping away at holes on the team while keeping his best picks, and then making very good selections with those picks. He also had very little cap to work with until this past summer. Also, him targeting Kane is just smart. Lots of Gms have done so.

A lot of how Holland is judged will come from this years results. Of course right now the knives are out but he has some time before the deadline and the team isnt sunk yet. I'm optimistic but only if he does a couple more moves. I know he said he wasnt looking to do so but the deadline will be a different ball game, with a better roster of sellers

 

[inthe6ix]

I feel bad for Ken Holland in way. I liked him here in Detroit until he started standing pat (which i get on some level) and started grasping for straws at the end. Now he is grasping for straws again in Edmonton. Knowing how he did things in Detroit, Kane is a player he would never bring in unless he was desperate. He failed at building around talent that from my very novice opinion shouldn't be horribly difficult for a good GM. I get that Kane could be a rental that you bring in who can just as easily be send out. I just feel bad that it's come to this for him. I feel like he is swallowing his pride with his second chance nonsense. As for other teams in on Kane such as Tampa and Florida I don't know their GM's.. As I said above I just don't see this as a move Holland would make in general. So if he is trying to make it.. He knows he's in trouble.

Brisebois already said his team was dropping out of the race. If you watched Holland's presser, it definitely looked like a guy who wasn't getting sleep and could feel the pressure to do something, anything, to kick start his team. Telling the media the answer is within the room, and yet going out of your way to get Kane to drastically shake things up when other positional needs are glaring is an indictment in itself.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Ive been out of the Kane loop has he done something else since using a fake vaxx passport?

international travel and other fun stuff

 

[Pinkfloyd]

The thing is - He cant be suspended before he is signed, so actually make sense to first sign him and he doesnt loose too many games. I bet the games he is suspended is without salary, so no real risk for $$.
Not that signing Evander isnt a risk in itself....

I don't think there's anything stopping the league from suspending Kane before his contract is signed.

 

[jonlin]

I don't think there's anything stopping the league from suspending Kane before his contract is signed.

An unsigned player doesnt have games to play, so he can hardly be suspended from one?

 

[Pinkfloyd]

An unsigned player doesnt have games to play, so he can hardly be suspended from one?

Any suspension for someone without a contract just means it'll be there waiting for when he does sign a contract. Other sports have done this previously.

 

[Mattb124]

He has never gelled with other players. He doesn't pass, and he doesn't find those open areas for sniping. He is a north/south individual effort player.

The guy who had 27 assists (19 primary) versus 22 goals last season doesn't pass or gel with other players? I am guessing you haven't watched him play much if at all, but rather have formed your opinion base on the opinions of others you read on the internet.

 

[ottawah]

An unsigned player doesnt have games to play, so he can hardly be suspended from one?

He could be suspended as per a date, which has been done in the past. Bertuzzi for example was suspended indefinitely, and ended up missing the rest of the season and playoffs. If this is his second covid rules related suspension, and the first was 21 games, saying the rest of the season and playoffs would not be out of the question.

 

[Cup or Bust]

If the Oilers are able to sign him it would be a good move. You could put Kane in the top 6 and move RNH to the third line instantly improving the depth and bottom 6. In regards to his off ice issues it would only be for the rest of the season and obviously if he doesn't get things on track his opportunities are going to start to dry up pretty quickly.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Peel broke the news?

Peel saw him and someone from the Oilers at an airport apparently

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I could see a contending team with a solid leadership group and solid coaching staff taking a flyer on Kane. I'm not sure that the Oilers fit the bill though. Seems like a risky move imo for a group that seems fragile right now.
Plus there are much bigger holes to fill.

 

[Channelcat]

The guy who had 27 assists (19 primary) versus 22 goals last season doesn't pass or gel with other players? I am guessing you haven't watched him play much if at all, but rather have formed your opinion base on the opinions of others you read on the internet.

Only a few hundred games. I know him well and I'm aware of his assists and how they happen.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Only a few hundred games. I know him well and I'm aware of his assists and how they happen.

He actually gels quite well with similar north/south sort of players.

 

[Mattb124]

Only a few hundred games. I know him well and I'm aware of his assists and how they happen.

Are you? How pray tell did he generate all those primary assists if he doesn't pass and doesn't gel with other players?

The beauty of Kane's game is that he can play the north/south speed game and score off the rush, but he can also be effective off the cycle. He, Hertl, and Barabanov were excellent together late last year. That chemistry - which you suggest he is incapable of - was in part how he generated that many primary assists.

Fun fact, Kane was tied for 21st in the NHL for primary assists last year. That's pretty good for a guy who doesn't pass.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Peel saw him and someone from the Oilers at an airport apparently

Thats not even proof of anything. We knew that Kane came to interview with the team. And there is word he was going to interview/talk to others

 

[CycloneSweep]

Are you? How pray tell did he generate all those primary assists if he doesn't pass and doesn't gel with other players?

The beauty of Kane's game is that he can play the north/south speed game and score off the rush, but he can also be effective off the cycle. He, Hertl, and Barabanov were excellent together late last year. That chemistry - which you suggest he is incapable of - was in part how he generated that many primary assists.

Fun fact, Kane was tied for 21st in the NHL for primary assists last year. That's pretty good for a guy who doesn't pass.

I mean, I haven't watched so I don't know. But he likes to shoot a lot. A shot that gets deflected in, is counted as an assist.

 

[Leafshater67]

What's getting unbearable is people with absolutely no medical training telling the rest of us how things are going. If you're not qualified about a subject, don't post about it.

What’s getting unbearable is people with absolutely no common sense are telling us how the rest of things are going. If you have rocks for brains, don’t post about it. It’s been 2 years and counting, admit you’re wrong and we can change strategies.

It’s okay for me to go back to work after 5 days but he cannot fly after 5 and should be crucified over it? Lol. Makes 0 sense. Covid positive nurses can work too. We’re living in clown world.

 

[ManofSteel55]

An unsigned player doesnt have games to play, so he can hardly be suspended from one?

But the player will have games as soon as a contract is signed.

 

[Bobby9]

I don't usually care about it but the chatter from many ladies on my social media is that the Oilers are going to have a PR nightmare with a supposed domestic abuser on the roster.

I think the Oilers must value winning over female fans support.

 

[jonlin]

But the player will have games as soon as a contract is signed.

Well, thats why you sign him straight away so he can suffer his suspension as soon as possible.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Well, thats why you sign him straight away so he can suffer his suspension as soon as possible.

I agree. Teams may be nervous about how long he could end up suspended though. Nobody wants to waste a roster spot on a contract that won't play.

 

[stator]

So is it the Oilers the front runners and possibly still a couple other teams in the mix or is it essentially Oilers and that’s it ?

Agents lie about team interest in the players they represent all the time. They are sellers. So it's probably just the Oilers, and some other teams likely nibbled around the bait. Take Tavares UFA period for instance.

 

[Hobnobs]

I don't usually care about it but the chatter from many ladies on my social media is that the Oilers are going to have a PR nightmare with a supposed domestic abuser on the roster.

I think the Oilers must value winning over female fans support.

Hasnt hurt any other franchise to sign a POS before. Not defending the Oilers or the other franchises. Just saying the world is pretty messed up and I doubt if anyone signs Kane that it will hurt the franchise (excluding stuff Kane might do while signed obv)

 

[KidLine93]

I don't usually care about it but the chatter from many ladies on my social media is that the Oilers are going to have a PR nightmare with a supposed domestic abuser on the roster.

I think the Oilers must value winning over female fans support.

Would you want the Oilers to make a statement saying they wont sign a player due to unproven allegations?

The Covid issues is a legitimate argument, but the rest is people just choosing to be mad about something they know nothing about.