Canucks' Evander Kane Avoids Major Injury After Scary Wrist Cut Against Avalanche
The Vancouver Canucks have been dealing with a steady stream of injuries this season - ten different players have already missed time. And for a while, Evander Kane had managed to steer clear of the chaos. That changed Tuesday night in Colorado.
Late in the third period of Vancouver’s 3-1 loss to the Avalanche, Kane was involved in a bizarre and frightening sequence that ended with him heading straight to the locker room, clutching his wrist.
The play unfolded near the benches in the neutral zone. Kane was battling for the puck with Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog when both players skated directly toward linesman Tom Toomey.
In an attempt to avoid the collision, Toomey jumped up onto the Avalanche bench. But in the split-second scramble, Landeskog bumped Kane, who was then pushed into Toomey.
As the linesman leapt off the ice, his skate caught Kane’s arm - slicing the Canucks winger near the wrist.
Kane immediately dropped his stick and grabbed his arm, clearly in pain, before quickly exiting down the tunnel. It was a scary moment, and one that brought back some bad memories for the 34-year-old forward.
This wasn’t the first time Kane’s left wrist has been cut by a skate. Three years ago, he suffered a far more severe injury when Pat Maroon’s skate blade sliced through the same area, forcing Kane to miss over two months of action. That incident was one of the most alarming injuries in recent NHL memory.
Fortunately, this time appears to be different.
After the game, head coach Adam Foote provided a relatively positive update.
“He just had a scare,” Foote said. “I think he’s going to be fine.”
Foote explained that the skate blade made contact with Kane’s wrist but didn’t cut too deep. “It kind of pierced him a little bit, but I don’t think it’s too deep,” he added. “Just a fluke.”
That’s about the best-case scenario for both Kane and the Canucks, who can’t afford to lose another key piece of their lineup. Kane has been heating up offensively after a slow start to the season.
He scored five goals in 14 games during November, ranking third on the team for the month. Through 27 games this season, he’s posted five goals and 14 points - not eye-popping numbers, but a sign that his offensive game is trending in the right direction.
For a Canucks team trying to stay afloat in a tough Western Conference while navigating a long list of injuries, keeping Kane in the lineup is crucial. He brings a physical edge, veteran presence, and - as he’s shown recently - the ability to chip in timely goals.
The hope now is that this latest scare remains just that: a scare. Because if Kane can stay on the ice and continue building momentum, he’ll be a big part of whatever success Vancouver finds this season.