Oilers announce Kane, Campbell and Kulak signings
The Edmonton Oilers have signed forward Evander Kane, goalie Jack Campbell and defenceman Brett Kulak to start NHL free agency on Wednesday.
Kane inked a four-year, US$5.125 million per year extension. Campbell signed a five-year, $5 million average annual value deal. And Kulak signed a four-year contract worth $2.75 million a season.
Kane, 30, broke the news with a message on social media late Tuesday night: "I'm back."
"A big part of my decision to stay in Edmonton was because of the opportunity given to me only 7 months ago but also the chance to be apart [sic] of a championship team. I want to win, and I believe after signing this deal we will be able to add the right pieces along with myself to accomplish that goal, a championship," wrote Kane, signing off with his jersey number, 91.
Kane signed with Edmonton in January after the San Jose Sharks terminated the remainder of his seven-year, $49-million contract for violating COVID-19 protocols while in the American Hockey League. Kane has challenged the Sharks’ decision by filing a grievance through the NHL Players’ Association.
Earlier last season, he was suspended by San Jose for 21 games for submitting a fake vaccine card.
Kane topped 20 goals for the eighth time in 13 NHL seasons by scoring 22 goals and 39 points in 43 games with Edmonton. Oilers general manager Ken Holland last week said he was having daily conversations in a bid to re-sign Kane, despite the team permitting Kane to talk to other teams before the free agency period began.
"Evander wants to be in Edmonton; he wants to play for the Edmonton Oilers," Holland told reporters Wednesday afternoon.
"He fit in real well … everybody in that locker room wanted him back. They made that very clear to me. They felt we were a much better team with Evander on the team."
Bringing Kane and Kulak back, and with the addition of Campbell, Holland feels the Oilers can compete for the Stanley Cup after they finished in the final four last season.
Even though the general manager doesn't expect goalie Mike Smith to play this season, he's excited about the team's goaltending situation. Holland foresees Campbell playing about 50 games and Stuart Skinner playing around 30 games.
Campbell spent the last three seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Last year, the 30-year-old played a career-high 49 games and posted a 31-9-6 record with a save percentage of .914.
Kulak, a 28-year-old defenceman from the Edmonton area, came from the Montreal Canadiens mid-season and scored eight points in 18 regular-season games.
Holland thought Kulak did well after the trade and said he's respected in the locker room.
"It's hard to find defencemen … he was important to get back. You think at the end of the year, Duncan Keith is retiring and if you lose Brett Kulak, you would've been in a big hole. I'm very happy today that Brett's back."
His priorities are done but Holland told reporters he still has more work to do.
"Now I gotta sort out the rest of the roster."
With files from Alex Antoneshyn and The Associated Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Economists say temporary tax cut, relief cheques play into rosier growth picture
The federal government's 'meaty' move to pause federal sales tax on a long list of items and send cheques to millions of Canadians this spring could factor into an improving outlook for growth in 2025, economists say.
Trump chooses Pam Bondi for attorney general pick after Gaetz withdraws
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Thursday named Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, to be U.S. attorney general just hours after his other choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name from consideration.
Second Australian teen dies in tainted alcohol case in Laos that has killed 6 tourists
A second Australian teenager who fell critically ill after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos has died in a hospital in Bangkok, her family said Friday, bringing the death toll in the mass poisoning of foreign tourists to six.
Bears find a buffet of battlefield rations at Alaska military base
Hungry bears broke into a storage room at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in this U.S. to feast on the military rations.
'Not good for the economy': MPs call on federal government to regulate resale concert tickets
Ticket fraud and sky-high prices for Taylor Swift concerts have some politicians calling for changes to the way tickets are sold in Canada.
A one-of-a-kind Royal Canadian Mint coin sells for more than $1.5M
A rare one-of-a-kind pure gold coin from the Royal Canadian Mint has sold for more than $1.5 million. The 99.99 per cent pure gold coin, named 'The Dance Screen (The Scream Too),' weighs a whopping 10 kilograms and surpassed the previous record for a coin offered at an auction in Canada.
South Korea says Russia supplied air defence missiles to North Korea in return for its troops
Russia has supplied air defence missile systems to North Korea in exchange for sending its troops to support Russia's war efforts against Ukraine, a top South Korean official said Friday.
From essential goods to common stocking stuffers, Trudeau offering Canadians temporary tax relief
Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Canoeist is paddling the 9,650-kilometre Great Loop out of gratitude for life
Peter Frank has paddled from Michigan's Upper Peninsula in June to the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland this month in his 1982 Sawyer Loon decked canoe, but he’s still got a long way to go.