Oilers' Kane out at least 5-6 months after surgery

Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane is out a minimum of five-to-six months after undergoing successful abdominal surgery, the team announced Monday.

When Edmonton's training camp opened Wednesday, Kane told reporters he's having work done to fix the hip, abdominal, and hernia injuries he played through for most of last season.

Oilers general manager Stan Bowman confirmed Kane will not start the season on long-term injured reserve despite the extended absence. Kane has two years remaining on his current contract, which carries a cap hit of $5.125 million.

Kane registered 24 goals and 20 assists in 77 games last season before adding eight points in 20 playoff contests as the Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Final.

This will be the 33-year-old's fourth campaign with the Oilers after previous stints with the San Jose Sharks, Buffalo Sabres, and the Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers organization.

The Oilers open their 2024-25 slate against the Jets on Oct. 9th.