**Cap Controversy Deepens: NHL to Continue Thorough Investigation Into Edmonton Oilers’ Use of LTIR Relief for Evander Kane, Sources Tell Seravalli**

The National Hockey League is once again shining a spotlight on the Edmonton Oilers, but this time it’s not for their on-ice heroics or playoff battles. Instead, the focus has turned to a growing off-ice controversy involving the league’s collective bargaining agreement and the much-debated use of Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) cap relief. According to a report by Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, sources indicate that the NHL is continuing its investigation into the Oilers’ use of LTIR in connection with star forward Evander Kane. This development adds a layer of intrigue and potential consequence for one of the league’s most scrutinized franchises, just weeks removed from a second consecutive heartbreak in the Stanley Cup Final.

The LTIR mechanism is a complicated, yet crucial, aspect of NHL roster management, allowing teams to exceed the salary cap under specific conditions when players are deemed unable to play due to long-term injury. However, the line between legitimate use and perceived manipulation of this rule has always been thin, and it seems the NHL is intent on determining exactly where the Oilers’ recent moves fall on that spectrum. For Edmonton, a team operating tightly against the salary cap, the ability to move Kane to LTIR provided temporary financial flexibility that helped navigate injuries and roster shifts late in the season and into the playoffs. But now, that move is under heavy scrutiny.

Evander Kane’s physical status had been in question throughout much of the 2024-25 season, with repeated absences, limited practice availability, and inconsistent appearances in the lineup. There were stretches of play where Kane looked like his dominant self, throwing hits, scoring big goals, and engaging physically. Yet there were also times when he was clearly laboring and unable to keep pace, which the team initially attributed to lingering core muscle issues and a nagging wrist injury—residual effects from previous seasons. When he was eventually placed on LTIR, the Oilers were able to activate other players and reconfigure their lineup without the same cap restrictions they’d been under previously. That administrative move may have been the difference between playoff qualification and a second-round exit, and now the league wants to ensure it was done within the rules.

The NHL has a history of investigating questionable LTIR cases, most notably with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Chicago Blackhawks in recent years. The Lightning’s use of LTIR for Nikita Kucherov during their 2020-21 Cup run stirred considerable controversy, especially when Kucherov returned for the playoffs and led the league in scoring despite not playing a single regular season game. Although the NHL ultimately ruled the Lightning did nothing wrong, the perception of cap circumvention has persisted in the court of public opinion. The Blackhawks, meanwhile, faced questions during their dynasty years as well, and those investigations similarly resulted in no formal punishments. Nevertheless, the NHL’s willingness to re-examine and clarify the rules in light of evolving roster strategies has continued to intensify.

In the Oilers’ case, the situation is somewhat different. Kane wasn’t absent for an entire season, nor did he return with explosive numbers the way Kucherov did. But the questions stem from the timing and nature of his LTIR placement, particularly as it relates to the league’s threshold for “bona fide long-term injury.” If the NHL believes Kane could have played but was shelved to free up cap space, it could constitute a breach of the CBA. The Oilers have not publicly responded to the investigation reports, though internal sources have suggested the team believes it acted within the bounds of the rules and has medical documentation to support Kane’s LTIR designation.

For Kane, this controversy comes amid a turbulent personal chapter as well. He’s been dealing with the fallout from off-ice issues, legal entanglements, and the ongoing pressure of living up to his sizeable contract. His commitment to the team hasn’t been questioned by teammates, but his durability and role within the lineup have fluctuated. Head coach Kris Knoblauch, who recently shocked the hockey world by stepping down from his post, often had to juggle Kane’s availability with the team’s need for physicality and veteran scoring. There were whispers that Knoblauch was frustrated by the lack of consistency in player health reporting and the challenges of building chemistry when key pieces were in and out of the lineup without clear timelines.

The NHL’s continued examination of this LTIR move is unlikely to be swift. Investigations of this nature typically involve a review of medical records, interviews with team doctors, general managers, and sometimes even the players themselves. Kane may be asked to clarify the nature and extent of his injury, as well as the treatments he received. The Oilers’ front office, led by general manager Ken Holland and his cap management staff, will likely have to submit detailed documentation and communications that demonstrate the decision-making process behind Kane’s LTIR designation. The league’s compliance department, alongside the NHLPA, will play a role in ensuring that all protocols were followed appropriately.

If the NHL ultimately finds that the Oilers operated within the rules, this episode may still lead to a larger reevaluation of the LTIR process. Calls for reform have grown louder over the past several seasons, with critics arguing that wealthy, cap-strapped teams are increasingly using LTIR as a tool to extend their competitive window rather than as a medical necessity. Proponents of change have floated ideas such as stricter medical review panels, mandatory minimum recovery periods, and even postseason cap enforcement—measures that would likely alter the current landscape of how teams manage injuries and contracts.

However, should the NHL determine that the Oilers did misuse LTIR to gain a cap advantage, the consequences could be significant. The league has several options, including fines, forfeiture of draft picks, or restrictions on future roster moves. While past investigations have largely ended without penalties, the context here—Edmonton’s deep playoff runs, the financial implications, and the visibility of the case—may pressure the league to take a firmer stance if any wrongdoing is uncovered. It could also embolden other general managers to demand tighter guardrails around the system moving forward.

The timing of this investigation couldn’t be more impactful for the Oilers, who are entering an offseason full of uncertainty. The team is still processing another crushing loss in the Stanley Cup Final, this time at the hands of the Florida Panthers, and is grappling with the unexpected resignation of their head coach. With star players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl under massive pressure to finally bring a Cup to Edmonton, the front office is trying to retain key free agents and reinforce the roster. Any punishment or even lingering ambiguity from the league could affect their plans, particularly if cap flexibility is reduced or decisions are delayed pending the outcome of the probe.

Beyond just the Oilers, this investigation is a test of the NHL’s ability to regulate a gray area that has long been manipulated in different ways. The salary cap, introduced in the post-lockout era to level the playing field and foster parity, has increasingly been seen as a puzzle to be solved rather than a hard boundary to obey. Creative general managers have found ways to exploit the rules—legally or otherwise—through complex contracts, trade gymnastics, and of course, LTIR. This growing trend, while lauded for its strategic boldness, is beginning to erode trust in the system for some fans and executives alike.

In many ways, the NHL’s response to this situation will set a precedent for how aggressively it will monitor and enforce the rules around LTIR in the future. If the Oilers are found to have followed all the necessary steps and are cleared, it could reinforce the idea that current guidelines are sufficient—though still likely to be challenged by public perception. If not, the result could reverberate through the league, leading to new policies and reshaping the calculus teams use when considering injury designations near the trade deadline or postseason.

As for Evander Kane and the Edmonton Oilers, they now face a different kind of battle—one not fought with goals and saves, but with paperwork, testimonies, and legal interpretations. While the hockey world waits for clarity, one thing is certain: the NHL’s salary cap landscape remains as murky and controversial as ever, and the Oilers have once again found themselves at the center of the storm.