Evander Kane expresses gratitude to doctors and nurses [via IG/Evander Kane; IMAGN]

Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane was set to undergo a series of surgeries to repair both abductors, two hernias, two abdominal tears and a few other undisclosed issues the 33-year-old has been facing for a while now.

Kane underwent a successful surgery on Friday and shared the news on his Instagram story. He posted a picture from his hospital bed with a thumbs- up.

“Successful surgery long road ahead but very greatful for my amazing surgeons and nurses,” Evander Kane wrote in the caption.

via Instagram/@evanderkane

While speaking to Players Tribune, the 33-year-old forward expanded on the challenges at hand. He said:

“I’m having a lot done, both abductors on each hip, two torn lower abominable muscles done and two hernias. I felt something was wrong in late October (last season)… and just kind of slowly got worse over time.“Everybody agreed we wanted to see how things looked after we took some time off to see if anything settled down (and) if anything could be rehabbed … that ended up not being the case,” Kane said. “This is a big undertaking and an injury and for me, something I want to get fixed once and get fixed correctly.”

Evander Kane will start new season on LITR

While Kane believes he will regain his health, there’s no timeline for his return.

Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman confirmed that Kane won’t be ready to start the 2024-25 season, and Kane himself can’t say if he will play this season at all.

“He is going to be out for a while. … he’s not going to be here for a while,” Bowman said. [H/T Daily Hive]

Kane opted for surgery over the summer following consultations with multiple doctors and advice from other NHL players. While he hopes to return to full health, it’s clear that he will miss the start of the 2024-25 season.

Evander Kane’s role with the Oilers has changed. With the addition of wingers Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner, plus a solid top six, Kane may struggle to find his place in the lineup. Financially, the Oilers are hoping to avoid placing him on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) to save cap space.

Placing Kane on LITR could affect the Oilers’ cap space, but GM Stan Bowman is trying to avoid that. Meanwhile, the no-movement clause in Evander Kane’s contract changes to a partial no-trade clause by February 2025, and a buyout in June is possible.

However, it will only be possible if he’s healthy. For now, Kane’s way forward depends on his recovery and whether he can reclaim his place in the team.