NHL Notebook: Evander Kane to return to Edmonton Oilers lineup Thursday, NHL suspends Tony DeAngelo two games for spearing, and more
By Zach Laing
1 year agoThe Edmonton Oilers will get a boost to their lineup on Thursday night with Evander Kane set to return.
Kane has missed the last number of weeks with a rib injury he suffered in early February in a game against the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 7. He collided with defenceman Mortiz Seider on a rather inconspicuous play, and injured his ribs, but continued playing through it. The injury was reaggravated on Feb. 17 against the New York Rangers, and Kane has missed the last nine games.
In those nine games that Kane has missed, the Oilers posted a 5-3-1 record outscoring their opponents 42-33. At Oilers practice on Wednesday, Kane was skating on the Oilers’ top line alongside Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman.
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DeAngelo suspended
The NHL suspended Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Tony DeAngelo for two games on Thursday after spearing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Corey Perry.
Here’s some of what Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin wrote about the incident that happened on Wednesday night:
During a post-whistle scrum, DeAngelo crept up to Perry seemingly unnoticed and jabbed him with his stick in a sensitive area. Yes, that sensitive area. The Lightning players immediately swarmed DeAngelo in retaliation. He received a five-minute major for spearing and a game misconduct.On Wednesday morning, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced that DeAngelo would have a hearing for the incident. On Wednesday afternoon, the DOPS announced a two-game suspension for DeAngeloGiven the clarity of the footage available and the context – it came in the dying minutes of a game in which the perpetrator’s team was down by multiple goals – it was an open and shut case.
DeAngelo didn’t qualify as a repeat offender under the collective bargaining agreement but did have a rap sheet. He was suspended in 2017 for physical abuse of an official. He was also fined in 2021 for embellishment. DeAngelo was also suspended twice during his major junior career for violating the OHL policy on the use of abusive, racist and homophobic language.
Cam Talbot out three weeks
Ottawa Senators goaltender Cam Talbot will miss the next three weeks after suffering a lower-body injury. It’s not exactly known what the `injury is, or if it’s related to a similar lower-body injury he suffered earlier in the season.
Here’s some of what Daily Faceoff’s Scott Maxwell wrote about the injury, and Talbot:
The current timeline has Talbot projected to miss 11 games, with eight remaining in the season to get back into game shape before the postseason if the Senators are still in contention.The injury made Talbot a late scratch on Monday for Ottawa’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks, which forced Mads Sogaard to make the start for the Senators. The Sens would go on to lose that game 5-0, with Sogaard allowing five goals on 21 shots.Talbot has had a solid season when healthy, with a 15-14-1 record, a .905 save percentage, a shutout, and 5.04 goals saved above expected at 5v5 in 32 games this season. The “when healthy” part is key though, as he’s already missed 18 games so far this season before this current injury.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.
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