The Edmonton Oilers are in the midst of another standout season in the Western Conference, sitting just five points back of the Pacific Division's top spot with six games left in 2023-24. At 47-24-5, the Oil are again looking like one of the teams to beat in the NHL — and Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are hungry for a Stanley Cup.
But there has been some drama clouding an excellent couple of months in Oil Country, with Evander Kane and Corey Perry in the middle of things during a 4-2 win against the Calgary Flames in the Battle of Alberta on Saturday night.
After a typical Oilers-Flames scrum at the end of the second period, Perry could be seen yelling at Kane on the bench. The clip made waves on social media over the weekend:
Kane looks to have become a distraction with another NHL team, and hockey insider Elliotte Friedman even reported that McDavid and Draisaitl asked the veteran Perry to “help” with Kane down the stretch.
“And they are saying, ‘If we want to win the Stanley Cup this year, we need a great Evander Kane and we are taking the responsibility of making sure he gets there,'” Friedman said over the weekend.
“Because one thing about [Kevin Bieksa] he said is that Perry doesn’t do that a lot. So my theory, and I got a lot of theories, but my theory is McDavid and Draisaitl have gone to Perry and said, ‘We need your help with this because you, in addition to us, you also have the gravitas as a veteran player to go to him.'”
Kane has struggled to not make headlines on every team he's played for, and for this to be happening right before the postseason is not ideal. But Friedman believes that the issue will fire Kane up before the playoffs, and help him channel positive energy that will help, not hinder his squad come the end of April.
Evander Kane, Corey Perry address situation
Kane did say that there is no ill will between he and Perry after the victory.
“We’re fine. We are partners in the Masters pool,” Kane told Oilers reporter Jason Gregor.
“It happens. Brothers fight and argue. We are trying to make each other better. We talked about it after, apologize and move on. It happens in the room often, it just happened that the camera showed it,” Perry echoed.
Gregor also thought that the situation was blown out of proportion on social media.
“I think way too many people have tried to make Kane and Perry’s interaction more than it was,” Gregor wrote. “Teammates, co-workers, friends, family all argue at times. I’m stunned how many people try to make into more.”
It looks like the situation may be handled, although it would be interesting if McDavid and Draisaitl did actually make a plea to Perry to help deal with Kane for the rest of the season.
Oilers looking to make another deep run in 2024
After being a healthy scratch against the Ottawa Senators back on March 24, Kane has struggled. The 32-year-old has just two goals in his last seven games, and only 41 points on the season. It isn't bad, but the Oilers will need more from this player in the postseason.
After a Canucks win over the Golden Knights on April 8, the Oil are now five points back of Vancouver — with two games in hand. There's still a path for the team to win the Pacific Division, although the odds are not looking good.
More importantly, the team is looking to avenge last year's six-game loss to Vegas in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Two seasons ago, the Oilers went all the way to the Western Conference Final before being swept by the eventual champion Colorado Avalanche.
Could this be the year Connor McDavid and co. make it out of the West? The franchise will hope that the drama blows over before a critical Round 1, Game 1 comes around in a few weeks.
But first, it's Oilers vs. Knights from Rogers Place on Wednesday night.
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