Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane is expected to miss three-to-four months and has been placed on long-term injured reserve after his wrist was cut by a skate Tuesday night, the team announced.
Kane was taken to hospital to undergo a procedure after the incident, which occurred during the second period of the Oilers' win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kane was down on the ice when one of Pat Maroon's skates inadvertently clipped his arm.
His long-term absence leaves a big hole in the Oilers' attack, as the 31-year-old winger has been a lock in Edmonton's top six this season and produced 13 points in 14 games before being injured. His $5.125-million cap hit will not count against the Oilers' books while he's on LTIR.
Edmonton currently has approximately $12.2 million on LTIR between Kane, Oscar Klefbom, Mike Smith, and Tyler Benson, according to Cap Friendly.
Edmonton recalled forwards Klim Kostin and Mattias Janmark from AHL Bakersfield on Wednesday to help fill out the NHL roster's depth.
The Oilers currently sit fourth in the Pacific Division with an 8-6 record. They return to action Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes.
