Oilers begin key stretch with Evander Kane's return to San Jose

Oilers forward Evander Kane takes questions on Feb. 8, 2022. (Source: Edmonton Oilers)

The Edmonton Oilers begin a key three-game stretch against Pacific Division teams that they're battling for a playoff spot when they travel to San Jose to face the Sharks on Monday night.

The Oilers, who are three points ahead of the Sharks in the Pacific standings, are four points behind Anaheim for the second wild-card spot but also have four games in hand and host the Ducks on Thursday night. They also play at third-place Los Angeles, which has a four-point lead over them in the Pacific standings, on Tuesday night in the second game of a back-to-back.

Monday night's contest will be a homecoming for both left wing Evander Kane, who played four seasons with the Sharks before being waived on Jan. 8 following a series of off-ice incidents, and new Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft, who began his NHL coaching career with San Jose as an assistant under Todd McLellan in 2008.

Woodcroft is 1-0 since replacing Dave Tippett on Thursday, earning a 3-1 home victory over the New York Islanders on Friday that saw goaltender Mike Smith stop 37 of 38 shots and Connor McDavid pick up two assists.

"It was a good team win," said Woodcroft of his NHL coaching debut. "I enjoyed the way the game was played today. I thought our players really played hard for each other. Mike Smith turned in an ‘A' performance in goal and allowed us a chance to work our way into the game. And I thought we got better as the game went on."

Woodcroft had experience coaching some of the Oilers' players while coaching the team's AHL team for four seasons. He directed the Bakersfield Condors to a Pacific Division playoff championship during the 2020-21 campaign.

"What I really liked to see was when the game was on the line in the third period, we valued hard plays," Woodcroft said. "That's a credit to the players in the dressing room. It's been an emotional couple of days for this team, so I'm pleased for our players."

Kane, who played five games with San Jose's AHL team this season after serving a 21-game suspension for submitting a fake COVID-19 vaccination card, was put on unconditional waivers by the Sharks on Jan. 8 and agreed to a one-year contract with the Oilers on Jan. 27. The 30-year-old forward was named San Jose's team MVP in the 56-game 2020-21 season, when he led the Sharks with 22 goals and 27 assists.

Kane was asked if there was anything special about facing his old team.

"Not really," Kane said. "Just a great opportunity to get two points. We play them more than once the rest of the season. It'll be fun to be part of those games."

San Jose will be playing for the first time since a 3-2 overtime loss at Tampa Bay on Feb. 1. The Sharks got some good news during their two-week break when head coach Bob Boughner said two-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, who underwent surgery in late January to repair a small muscle tear in his left forearm, could be back sooner than the original mid-March prognosis.

"He says he's feeling pretty good," Boughner said. "I think he is going to be (back) ahead of schedule at the end of the day."

Karlsson has scored eight goals and 26 points in 33 games this season.

--Field Level Media