For the second time in a few weeks, network footage of a teammate blasting Evander Kane while on the bench surfaced on television, both times players seemingly taking issue with Kane’s lack of on-ice awareness. On Saturday night, it was veteran Corey Perry who was livid with Kane, tearing a strip off of him for what appears to have been an errant net-front pass that resulted in a turnover.
Perry tore into Kane for a while and Sportsnet caught most of the exchange. Former teammate and hockey analyst Kevin Bieksa said it was unlike Perry to lose his cool on a teammate like that, suggesting that this is an issue others on the Oilers have brought up with Kane and he’s not learning. Just a couple of weeks ago, Leon Draisaitl and Kane had a heated exchange that cameras caught as well.
Are Oilers Players Targeting Kane?
It’s easy for fans (especially Kane detractors) to say that there is friction between Kane and others on the team. Frank Seravalli said not too long ago that the forward’s act is wearing thin and his teammates have had enough. Perry’s reaction would seem to indicate Seravalli and others who say there is an issue might be right. At the same time, the players and the coach all say this is just emotion coming out from professionals who badly want to win.
Oilers’ head coach Kris Knoblauch said: “Emotional. I know before the period started, they had talked and made it out. There’s just a disagreement and two passionate players. Nothing more than that.”
The deal here seems to be that the Oilers are getting ready for the post-season and the players are feeling the pressure to get costly mistakes out of their game. Obviously, Kane isn’t the only one to make them, but he tends to make them more than some others. If the only way to get it into his head that those plays need to stop is to have his teammates come down on him, it appears the leadership on the Oilers is prepared to do so.
Perry Was in Good Spirits Later
Whatever the issue was, it seemed to pass rather quickly. By the end of the game, Perry was on the bench trash-talking Flames players and fans who he teased were “So bad.” The Flames fell to the Oilers 4-2. It was another big win for Edmonton and another loss for the Flames in a disappointing season.
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