Two Oilers forwards absent from practice nursing injuries

Both Evander Kane and Adam Henrique were absent from Oilers practice today, likely for the reason of just resting some minor injuries.

Of course, we know Evander Kane has been dealing with nagging injuries all season. Right before the playoffs, Kane came out and shocked everybody by detailing his exact injury being a sports hernia.

It was perplexing for Kane to break tradition and reveal his exact weakness to his playoff opponents publicly, and it's questionable that the Oilers let him play through this injury rather than shutting him down earlier for surgery, adding more salary in trade by LTIR, and getting him back fully healthy in playoffs. Kane is a total warrior, dying to play through the injury, and now he's arrived in his full playoff form as a menace for the Oilers in the first round.

Even after some Oilers fans were underwhelmed with the trade deadline, Henrique has proven to be an extremely valuable player too. He's been riding on the top line with McDavid and Hyman, and was able to pitch in offensively with a goal and assist. His veteran presence and sound defensive play is a real asset for the Oilers in the postseason, so hopefully this maintenance day will be enough to keep him in the lineup. At this point, there's no doubt that both Kane and Henrique will play through whatever's ailing them.

This is the true importance of having some quick series in the long battle towards a Stanley Cup. So many players are battling through injuries on each team, and as Connor McDavid said post game, rest can be a weapon. After knocking out the Kings in just 5 games, the Oilers will be primed for the winner of the longer Canucks-Predators series.