The Edmonton Oilers are no doubtebly pumped up for their first round matchup versus the LA Kings after their third matchup in three years. Their hurdle isn't exactly getting out of the first round, but making a deep run for the cup is the team's Achilles Heal, and Connor McDavid's patience is running thin. Oilers head coach decided to go bold and place Evander Kane on the fourth line going into game one.

Here are the lineups posted by Bob Stauffer on X:

The
@EdmontonOilers
today at practice:

Henrique-McDavid-Hyman
RNH-Draisaitl-Foegele
Holloway-McLeod-Perry
Kane-Carrick-Janmark
Gagner-Ryan-Brown

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Ceci
Kulak-Desharnais
Stecher

Skinner
Pickard

-

Kane hasn't exactly had his best season as an Oiler, putting up 44 points in 79 games this season, by far the most disappointing of his three seasons in Edmonton. That can all change now as the NHL playoffs is a whole other ball game, and Evander Kane will most definitely be a crucial piece to the Oilers given his goal scoring ability, and immense grit he brings to the ice.

The honeymoon phase of Evander Kane is over, this isn't last season, and Kane needs to get a wake up call in any way possible. Perhaps this demotion will fuel him for a lengthy successful playoff run in Oil County.

POLL

APRIL 21 |58 ANSWERS

Edmonton Oilers demote Evander Kane to the fourth line