Evander Kane returns to Oilers lineup 10 weeks after horrific wrist injury
Edmonton went a middling 16-12-3 without Kane, falling out of the Western Conference playoff picture at points.
Jori Negin-Shecter
Kane's wrist was lacerated in a freak accident in early November. (Getty)
The Edmonton Oilers are set to receive quite a jolt ahead of their Tuesday night tilt with the red-hot Seattle Kraken.
Evander Kane will make his long-awaited return to the Oilers lineup, a remarkable ten weeks after he suffered a horrific wrist injury resulting in his hospitalization and emergency surgery early in November.
Per the Oilers lines at practice on Monday, Kane appears as though he'll begin the game skating alongside Ryan McLeod and Warren Foegele on the third line, though it only seems a matter of time until Kane rejoins Edmonton's top-six given his spot in the lineup before the injury.
"[I] feel good right now, been itching to get back since three-and-a-half weeks ago," Kane told reporters after practice on Monday. "It's been a lot of skating and a lot of practice."
The Oilers, winners of three straight, will no doubt welcome Kane back with open arms given their up and down season. In his absence, the club went a middling 16-12-3 while tumbling out of the playoff picture at points. Edmonton is currently clinging onto a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
In a corresponding move, Kailer Yamamoto was placed on LTIR with an undisclosed injury and will be able to return following the NHL's All-Star break in early February.
Kane's recovery is particularly remarkable given his initial three-to-four-month timeframe. For reference, just three seasons ago, then Maple Leafs forward Ilya Mikheyev missed the remainder of the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season after cutting his wrist in a similar on-ice incident in December, only returning during the Maple Leafs' play-in series against Columbus that summer.
While Kane admits his wrist isn't at full capacity compared to where it was before, the 31-year-old still shared optimism about his ability to contribute moving forward.
"I think the shooting is where it needs to be successful," Kane said. "Is it at 100%? No. But I'm coming back with no excuses."
"I don't know if it's ever going to be full strength, at least this season, but I feel it's as good as it's going to be for a decent stretch of time here."
Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft conveyed similar optimism.
"With his return on the horizon and where our team is at, I think it's a positive," Woodcroft said. "Any time you can add a player of his calibre, I think that's a real positive for your organization."
More from Yahoo Sports
Sean Connery's dark night of the soul: how The Offence took Bond into the abyss
At the beginning of 1971, Sean Connery was not only the biggest star in the world, but he had signed a then-record breaking deal that made him the best paid actor alive, too. The previous James Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service – the first without Connery as 007 – had underperformed at the box office, making $82 million worldwide as opposed to the $112 million that Connery's swansong, You Only Live Twice, had grossed.
Kaia Gerber addresses nepotism in Hollywood: 'That just isn't how art is made'
'I won't deny the privilege that I have,' the model says
Julia Fox's 'blood dress' is now up for auction
London-based fashion designer LeMÁine is auctioning off the dress to raise funds after flood damage
Britney Spears' panicked fans called police after she deleted Instagram
Britney Spears has reportedly had police call at her home after panicked fans raised the alarm over her welfare following her seventh removal of her Instagram account in less than a year.
Prince Louis makes new friendships at school - details
The Prince and Princess of Wales' youngest son Prince Louis often delights royal fans with his playful behaviour and charming personality, which shines through on the rare occasion he makes a public appearance with his parents and siblings. And now it seems the young royal is using his kind-hearted nature to make friends of his own. On Friday, a post from the Wales children's Windsor-based school, Lambrook, shared a post to their public Instagram account that detailed the activities of pupils in
What are the off-peak times to run your appliances, and are they cheaper?
Whether it's your washing machine or dishwasher, some energy suppliers offer cheaper tariffs if you run your at appliances at night.
Victoria Beckham's daily diet of 25 years is incredibly strict
Victoria Beckham is known for her intense daily workout routine which she says is non-negotiable. Her fitness ritual combines weightlifting and cardio, so the former Spice Girl needs to fuel her body to sustain her exercise habits. It was widely reported that the 48-year-old has eaten the same meal every day for 25 years, with her husband David Beckham divulging that she: "Only eats grilled fish, steamed vegetables; she will very rarely deviate from that." WATCH: David Beckham shares secret vide
Readers reply: why is the surname Farmer uncommon when there were so many farmers for so long?
The long-running series in which readers answer other readers' questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts
The Best Men's Rollneck Jumpers Will Make You Look Very Famous
Picks from JW Anderson, Uniqlo, Tom Ford and more.
Kim Kardashian: Star lectures students at Harvard Business School
Kim Kardashian spoke about her burgeoning business empire during a lecture at Harvard Business School.
Kylie Jenner confirms how to pronounce son Aire's name
Kylie Jenner has clarified the pronunciation of her son's name after finally revealing the tot is called Aire.
Shakira shares peek at motherhood struggle with her two sons with ex Gerard Pique
Shakira is riding on a big high as she celebrates the success of her collaboration with DJ Bizarrap with their BZRP Music Sessions #53 collab. Amid all the waves it has created, though, the singer continues to focus most of her attention to her life as a mom to her two sons with ex Gerard Pique, Sasha and Milan. VIDEO: Shakira and her sons bring the moves The singer took to social media to share glimpses of their life at home, specifically their morning rituals, as she took on the task of making
Khloé Kardashian pens heartfelt tribute to Tristan Thompson's late mother
Earlier this month, Andrea Thompson died at her Toronto, Canada home after suffering a heart attack. On Tuesday, Khloé took to Instagram to share a slideshow of images of her and Andrea and admitted that she still feels "numb" over the sad news. "Life can be brutally unfair at times and this has been one of the toughest times in so many of our lives. But at the same time, I feel blessed that I am lucky to have had someone that makes saying goodbye so incredibly difficult…"
Frankie Bridge's £40 River Island trousers have Instagram fans going wild
Frankie Bridge is one fashionable woman! The ITV favourite took to Instagram to share details of her latest outfit with fans. The 34-year-old sported a cosy knitted jumper from one of her favourite stores, H&M, and she teamed the look with a pair of camel trousers from River Island. We were amazed to learn they cost just £40, and currently all sizes are available too. Winning! Watch: Frankie Bridge looks incredible in red latex dress The trousers were a big hit with fans. They took to Instagram
The best mattress toppers for a blissful night's sleep
Our top-rated designs to keep you comfortable all night long.
Charley Webb pleads for reassurance amid parenting 'hell'
Charley Webb took to Instagram on Tuesday, where she shared a new video with her many followers, who will be sure to relate to the difficulty she recounted.The doting mum opened up about how difficult she finds it to get her children to school on time in the morning – and asked her fans if they went through something similar.The actress said: "Anybody else have the worst time getting out to the school run? Honestly, the worst time, I fell out with both of my two oldest ones this morning, both so