The Vancouver Canucks are heading toward full seller mode ahead of the March 6 trade deadline, and one name that's starting to circulate again is a familiar one for Oilers fans: Evander Kane.
With Vancouver sitting well outside the playoff picture, the front office has already begun reshaping the roster. Franchise cornerstone Quinn Hughes and forward Kiefer Sherwood have already been moved, and more changes are likely coming. Among the players who could be on the move is Kane, who’s in the final year of his contract and has reportedly been given the green light by the Canucks to explore trade options through his agent, Dan Milstein.
Kane’s situation is particularly intriguing. Traded from Edmonton to Vancouver this past offseason for a 2025 fourth-round pick - a pick that originally came to the Oilers in the Xavier Bourgault deal before being flipped again - Kane has had a modest season in his first year with his hometown team.
Through 51 games, he’s posted nine goals and 24 points, putting him on pace for 14 goals and 38 points. That goal total would match his career low from his rookie season with the Atlanta Thrashers back in 2009-10.
But while his regular-season numbers have dipped, Kane’s playoff pedigree still carries weight. During his time in Edmonton, he racked up 62 goals and 111 points in 161 games, despite missing significant time due to injury - including the entire 2024-25 regular season.
When the games mattered most, Kane delivered: 26 goals and 42 points in 68 playoff games over four seasons. That kind of postseason production doesn’t go unnoticed, especially for contending teams looking to add a proven scorer with a physical edge.
Kane, 34, is in the final year of a four-year deal that carries a $5.125 million cap hit. He also has a 16-team trade list, meaning he can block deals to half the league unless he waives his modified no-trade clause. That adds a layer of complexity to any potential move, but it’s not insurmountable - especially with Vancouver reportedly willing to retain salary to help facilitate a deal.
According to multiple reports, including The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, the Canucks are seeking a prospect and/or a draft pick in return. While no specific teams have been confirmed, there’s buzz around a few Eastern Conference clubs kicking the tires on the power forward. The Los Angeles Kings have reportedly held talks with Vancouver, according to Dennis Bernstein, and ESPN’s Kevin Weekes has linked both the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche to Kane as well.
As for an Edmonton reunion? That seems off the table. Earlier this offseason, reports suggested the Canucks attempted to send Kane back to the Oilers, but Edmonton apparently wasn’t interested - believing, as one source put it, that “the ship has sailed.”
Still, Kane’s name is one to watch as the deadline approaches. He’s a veteran with playoff experience, a physical presence, and a scoring touch that can swing momentum in a postseason series. For teams looking to make a deep run, he could be just the kind of piece that makes the difference in April and beyond.