Cap circumvention twice. Kane golfed and did all sorts of things last summer, and then “decided” to get surgery right before training camp.
Completely staged and agreed on so the Oilers could get salary relief.
When the estimated timeline approaching for his return came up around Christmas, and the Oilers still wanted the cap relief, line him up to get knee surgery, as also likely agreed upon as a possibility in the fall. Easily probably could have had the surgery for the knee not long after the first surgery if he of the team really wanted him in the lineup. They didn’t, they wanted different help during the season and him as a playoff option.
He did make a bit of a fuss around having the knee surgery it seems, probably because it prevented him from enjoying Canucn in Feb, and or if he did come back after Christmas,,could’ve got some performance bonuses to further help those off the book debts he has with some dangerous people. But it was something he likely agreed may be a possibility back when he and the Oilers came up with this plan. And he dare not make too much of a racket given his San Jose departure dubious circumstances. He got paid all season not to play in the regular season.
Funny on the TSn article when they talked about cap circumvention rule being changed, example used was Tkachuk, when Kane, and the Oilers forcing Smith to retire a few years ago, are much more blatant examples.
But yes, like the lottery rule, the new CBA closes loopholes the Oilers used in desperation so it’s a moot point.
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