During the frenzy of the Trade Deadline on Friday morning, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced several penalties for incidents from Thursday’s NHL games. Following a heated match between divisional rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Jake McCabe and the Boston Bruins’ Charlie Coyle both received $5,000 fines for cross-checking.
Additionally, Edmonton Oilers’ right winger Evander Kane was fined $2,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct against Cole Sillinger of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The incident occurred in the second period of the Oilers’ 4-2 away loss to the Blue Jackets on Thursday during a bench altercation, according to a source from Daily Faceoff, where Kane jabbed his stick into the Blue Jackets’ bench.
Kane has a history with disciplinary action, with Friday’s fine marking his fourth in the NHL. Over his 15 seasons, he has also been suspended by the Department of Player Safety seven times.
At 32 years old, Kane is experiencing a slump in performance this season. While he scored 38 goals in 84 regular-season games in his first two seasons with the Oilers, including 16 goals in 27 playoff games, he has only managed to score 21 goals in 60 games thus far in the 2023-24 season.
His average of 0.35 goals per game is his lowest since his time with the Buffalo Sabres in the 2015-16 season.
During Thursday night’s game, Kane was paired with a new linemate, Adam Henrique, who was recently acquired by the Oilers from the Anaheim Ducks in a trade alongside Sam Carrick, marking Edmonton’s initial move in the Western Conference competition.
Henrique, a natural center, joined the Oilers’ top six and played as a left winger alongside Leon Draisaitl and Kane, while also sharing ice time with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
The fine imposed on Kane will be directed to the NHL Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
