The Vancouver Canucks are staring down the barrel of a tough season - and that’s putting it mildly. Dead last in the standings and firmly entrenched in a full-scale rebuild, this is a team hitting the reset button in a big way.
The front office has already begun the teardown, moving out cornerstone pieces like Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood. And from the sound of it, they’re not done yet.
Elias Pettersson and Evander Kane are two more big names who’ve surfaced in trade chatter, and according to NHL insider Chris Johnston, the Canucks are actively shopping Kane. One team reportedly kicking the tires? The Colorado Avalanche - a club that’s sitting atop the league and looking every bit like a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.
Now, Colorado doesn’t exactly need more high-end skill. Their top six is loaded.
What they could use, though, is some playoff grit - a player who brings edge, energy, and a little bit of nastiness when the games get tight and the ice gets smaller. That’s where Kane fits.
Kane’s playoff résumé speaks for itself. He’s scored 26 goals in 68 postseason games, most of those with the Oilers, and he’s shown he can elevate his game when the stakes are highest.
He’s physical, he’s aggressive, and he knows how to make life miserable for opponents in a seven-game series. Slotting him into Colorado’s third line could give the Avs a serious edge - not just in scoring depth, but in the kind of playoff-style hockey that wears teams down over time.
Financially, this move could make a lot of sense for both sides. Kane is in the final year of his deal with a $5.125 million cap hit and is set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer. Colorado has just over $5 million in cap space to work with, and if Vancouver is willing to retain 50% of Kane’s salary - which would drop his cap hit to around $2.56 million - the Avs could make this deal work without having to move a roster player.
And the asking price? Reportedly a third-round pick.
That’s not a steep cost for a player with Kane’s playoff pedigree, especially when you factor in the retained salary. For a team like Colorado, this is the kind of low-risk, high-reward move that could pay off big when the postseason grind begins.
For Vancouver, it’s all about the long game. They’re clearing cap space, stockpiling picks, and laying the groundwork for a roster overhaul that’s expected to take two to three years. Moving Kane now - before the trade deadline - gives them another asset for the future and opens up more flexibility as they continue to reshape the team.
As the deadline draws closer, don’t be surprised if this rumor gains serious traction. The Canucks are clearly sellers.
The Avalanche are firmly in win-now mode. And Kane?
He might just be the kind of playoff wildcard that gives Colorado the edge they need to go the distance.