The NHL Department of Player Safety has issued a warning to Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane following a hit to Minnesota Wild defenceman Jonas Brodin.
At the beginning of the third period in Friday night’s matchup between the Oilers and the Wild, Brodin headed behind the Minnesota net when Kane hit the defenceman from behind, causing Brodin to fall to the ice and slide to the ice.
Kane did not receive any penalty or form of punishment for the hit. Still, Brodin left the game shortly after with what appeared to be a lower-body injury and did not return to play.
Moments later, in what seems to be an effort of retaliation, Wild forward Ryan Hartman was penalized with a roughing minor when he went after Kane. On the subsequent Oilers power play, Evan Bouchard scored to lift them to a 4-3 win.
“You never want to see anybody get hit like that,” Wild head coach John Hynes said after the game.
“It’s not my job to comment on the hit. That’s the referee’s job. It’s an unfortunate situation, and it was tough to lose [Brodin] at that point.
The resistance to call a penalty on Kane for driving Brodin into the boards sparked controversy amongst fans, with many suspecting the Department of Player Safety would reprimand Kane for the incident, which could lead to a suspension or fine.
However, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector reported that that was not the case. Spector said that the NHL Department of Player Safety spoke with Kane and Oilers general manager Ken Holland on Saturday and issued no more than a warning to the forward.
In 2021-22, Kane was in a similar situation after delivering a hit from behind on Colorado Avalanche’s Nazem Kadri during game three of the Western Conference Finals. Kane received a one-game suspension for boarding, causing him to be sidelined for the Oilers 4-2 loss in game four. Kadri did not return to the game and was sidelined for the remainder of the season with an injury to his right thumb.
So far this season, Kane has collected 11 goals and 20 points throughout 24 games despite a slow start to the season. The victory on Friday night over the Wild marks the Oilers’ sixth consecutive win and improves their record to 11-12-1.
Brodin, on the other hand, has established himself as one of the Wild’s top defencemen and it could be concerning for the Wild if he ends up being out long term. The 30-year-old has one goal and nine points in 25 games and is projected to have near a 30-point season for the 2023-24 campaign.
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