Oilers’ Evander Kane to have surgery, miss start of NHL season

Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane will undergo surgery and will be sidelined into the start of the regular season, general manager Stan Bowman announced Wednesday.

“He’s going to be out for a while,” Bowman said without revealing the specific nature of the surgery. “I don’t want to speculate on that. I think our doctors will be able to give you a better handle on that, but he’s not going to be here for a while.

“He is not going to be available for training camp and  the beginning of the season. I don’t want to speak on the medical part. We’ll get our doctors to comment on that, but he is going to be having surgery.”

Kane, 33, recorded 24 goals and 44 points in 77 games last regular season while adding four goals and eight points in 20 playoff games.

Kane has 326 goals and 617 points in 930 regular-season games with the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise, Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks and Oilers.

Hoffman coming off 23-point season

In other team news, forward Mike Hoffman has signed a professional tryout.

The 34-year-old from Kitchener, Ont., had 10 goals and 13 assists in 66 games with the San Jose Sharks last season.

Drafted in the fifth round by Ottawa in 2009, he spent seven seasons with Ottawa before stopping in Florida, St. Louis and Montreal.

Hoffman has 228 goals and 487 in 745 regular-season appearances 259 and 11 goals and 20 points over 33 playoff outings.

Hedman succeeds Stamkos as Lightning captain

The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Victor Hedman captain as training camp opened, making the big defenceman the successor to Steven Stamkos.

Entering his 16th season with Tampa, Hedman was considered the obvious choice to get the “C” after the Lightning did not re-sign Stamkos and their longtime captain left to join Nashville.

“Victor is a cornerstone player that is extremely well respected by his teammates, coaches and peers across the NHL,” general manager Julien BriseBois said. “Victor embodies what it means to be a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning and is more than ready for this exciting opportunity.”

The 33-year-old from Sweden was a key contributor in the Lightning hoisting the Cup back to back in 2020 and ’21, including playoff MVP honours on the first of those championship runs.

Hedman also took home the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman in 2018 and finished in the top three in voting five other seasons. Defenceman Ryan McDonagh and MVP finalist Nikita Kucherov will serve as alternate captains.