Now that we’re into the Christmas break, it’s a perfect time to take a look back at the year that was. Over the next few days, we’ll be counting down the most-viewed stories at Oilersnation of 2023.

With number seven in the countdown earlier in the day looking at Evander Kane’s spat with Keegan Kolesar in the playoffs last year, number six is looking at another incident involving the Oilers winger.

This one, however, is just short of three weeks old, when the NHL’s Department of Player Safety issued Kane a warning for a hit on Minnesota Wild defenceman Jonas Brodin:

The NHL Department of Player Safety has issued a warning to Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane following a hit to Minnesota Wild defenceman Jonas Brodin. 

At the beginning of the third period in Friday night’s matchup between the Oilers and the Wild, Brodin headed behind the Minnesota net when Kane hit the defenceman from behind, causing Brodin to fall to the ice and slide to the ice. 

Kane did not receive any penalty or form of punishment for the hit. Still, Brodin left the game shortly after with what appeared to be a lower-body injury and did not return to play. 

Moments later, in what seems to be an effort of retaliation, Wild forward Ryan Hartman was penalized with a roughing minor when he went after Kane. On the subsequent Oilers power play, Evan Bouchard scored to lift them to a 4-3 win.

“You never want to see anybody get hit like that,” Wild head coach John Hynes said after the game.

“It’s not my job to comment on the hit. That’s the referee’s job. It’s an unfortunate situation, and it was tough to lose [Brodin] at that point.”