Edmonton Oilers fans may have gotten a bit of a scare when they noticed two of their key players being animated on the bench in their last game against the Calgary Flames. Corey Perry and Evander Kane were both angry and yelling on the bench, and while it didn’t look like either of them blamed each other or were being rude in any sense, it has been blown out of proportion on social media with fans and journalists around the league accusing both of them of being toxic players, and claiming showing emotion like that during a game on live television isn’t professional. While Kane has been through a lot in the past, there is no reason at all to worry. Players being animated and caring as these two do is a great thing to see and isn’t something the Oilers have had in a while. If anything, this should scare their opponents heading into the postseason.
Perry has been to the Stanley Cup Final numerous times and is a Stanley Cup champion, so he knows what it takes to go on a deep run and win. He is a veteran who was signed to provide leadership both on and off the ice with the Oilers this season and he is doing exactly what the team needs him to do, which is fire up his teammates and hold them accountable when required to do so. He has earned the respect of his teammates and his coaching staff, so if he chose to hold Kane accountable and be loud on the bench, that should be a sign that Perry cares and is willing to do whatever it takes to win in all aspects of the game.
Kane has often been the target of media attacks since his situation broke down with the San Jose Sharks and his personal issues were exposed, and he hasn’t seemed to change the minds of some people. Some fans around the league immediately decided to assume there was bad blood in the Oilers’ dressing room based on one interaction, which can be shut down and summarized as trying to spin an incorrect negative narrative. Both of them are veterans and have been playing solid hockey lately, so holding each other to the highest standard should be an exciting sight for Oilers fans, rather than the opposite.
Perry & Kane’s Impact Since Joining Oilers
As mentioned, Kane left the Sharks after some personal issues were exposed and they decided to terminate his contract. He chose to join the Oilers and his impact was felt right away. He chose to re-sign on a four-year contract and has been a big part of their offensive depth ever since. In his first season, he scored 22 goals and added 17 assists for 39 points through 43 games, and also had over a point-per-game with 17 points through 15 games in the postseason of the 2021-22 season. This season, Kane has struggled a bit defensively, but he has still been solid offensively scoring 23 goals and adding 18 assists for 41 points through 74 games.
Perry joined the Oilers after his contract was terminated by the Chicago Blackhawks. He was having a solid season scoring four goals and adding five assists for nine points through 16 games before the team chose to release him from his deal. Since joining the Oilers this season, he has scored seven goals and added three assists for ten points through 32 games and has been a solid middle-six forward addition who has added depth with strong play at both ends of the ice. Both of them will be huge parts of the Oilers’ upcoming playoff run, so seeing them care as much as they did last game against the Flames is a good sign as they look to make a push for their first Stanley Cup since 1990.
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