NHL trade rumors: Elliotte Friedman claims "there will be a market" for $20,500,000 Oilers forward Evander Kane 

Evander Kane’s future with the Edmonton Oilers could become an important topic this offseason. Kane is entering the last year of his contract in the 2025-26 NHL season. He is currently signed to a four-year, $20,500,000 deal with a cap hit of $5.125 million per year.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman spoke about Kane on "The FAN Hockey Show" on Wednesday. Friedman said the Oilers looked at the market for Kane before the trade deadline:

"I think they explored the market for him before the deadline, and just because he wasn't healthy, there wasn't much to go on there."

Friedman added that Kane was an effective player when he was on the ice during the playoffs. So, he believes there will be a market for Kane now:

"I think there will be a market for him."

Friedman also mentioned that Kane recently had another child, a daughter named Penelope Monroe Kane, on March 4 with his fiancée Mara Teigen. He said family situations can sometimes affect a player's decision to move:

"And, he just had another child, so we'll see how he and the others feel about all this. I say that because not everybody's always interested in moving once their family expands, but we'll see."

Evander Kane missed the entire 2024-25 regular season due to injuries. On Sept. 20, he had surgery to repair two torn hip adductor muscles, two hernias and two torn lower abdominal muscles. On Jan. 9, he had arthroscopic knee surgery.

Kane returned to the Oilers in Game 2 of the first round of the 2025 playoffs against the LA Kings. After his return, Kane worked hard to help the Oilers. He had 12 points in 21 playoff games, including six goals and six assists.

He also brought more physical play to the Oilers' lineup, with his efforts helping the Oilers look physically strong in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

NHL to conduct inquiry into Evander Kane's playoff return

Evander Kane went through multiple surgeries, and Doctors cleared him to return just before the playoffs. Following this, he played his first game in Round 1, Game 2.

According to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli, the NHL is checking if the Oilers followed the LTIR salary cap rules:

"The NHL may require more information to satisfy itself that Oilers complied with the Collective Bargaining Agreement when Kane returned."

As Kane’s injury allowed the team to get cap relief, the league wants to make sure the rules were not misused. The Oilers have reportedly shared all of Kane's medical records with the NHL.