Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
According to Chris Johnston, the Vancouver Canucks are willing to eat some salary and might not want too much in return as long as it gets Evander Kane off the books.
It seems the Vancouver Canucks are in sell mode as the team has dealt away Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood, with other names like Teddy Blueger, Brock Boeser, Connor Garland, and Evander Kane all on the chopping block as the deadline nears.
It’s the latter who is one of the more likely candidates gone given that Vancouver really has no use for a 34-year old pending free agent when they could use that space to bring in a younger player — and get some assets back.
Vancouver willing to do almost anything to trade Evander Kane
But it looks as if the Canucks and GM Patrik Allvin are more concerned with getting Kane’s roster spot opened yup than any real assets and could be willing to help out a team as well.
According to a report from TSN’s Chris Johnston, the Canucks are willing to retain salary on Kane’s $5.125-million deal and that they won’t even argue about a better return:
The Canucks are willing to retain salary on Evander Kane, and they’d likely take back a third-round pick as compensation.
Vancouver is certainly a team who would rather cut ties with a veteran like Kane and give one of their AHL players some shine like Ben Berard or Jonathan Lekkerimaki — their 15th overall pick in 2022.
But if Kane is gone, then there are certainly teams who could use him and the Toronto Maple Leafs seem like the perfect destination given the fact they can get him not only for cheap — but without sacrificing too much as well.
Why Toronto needs to pounce on an Evander Kane trade
If the Canucks were to eat, say, 50% of Kane’s salary. That would be a total cap hit of $2.57-million and with the Maple Leafs able to open up salary by trading Calle Jarnkrok, using Chris Tanev’s LTIR relief, or some other type of cost-cutting measure — they can afford him.
Kane would offer a highly physical presence that can score although has some issues staying out of the box. He’s essentially a slower and older Bobby McMann but if the Maple Leafs are selling high on him, then buying low to replace him isn’t a bad idea either.
Although he has struggled this year with only 25 points in 56 games (9 goals, 16 assists), Kane has been one of the premier power forwards over the past decade and a half.
In 986 games he’s posted 642 points (335 goals, 307 assists) with an astounding 2,307 hits and 1,262 PIM split between Winnipeg, San Jose, Buffalo, Edmonton, and Vancouver.
Kane was acquired by the Canucks from the Oilers this past summer for a 2025 fourth-round pick.
If the Maple Leafs are looking for a cost-effective power forward to help for their playoff push while also being a stop-gap replacement for Bobby McMann, it makes sense for Evander Kane to come to Toronto even if it’s only for a few months.
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Evander Kane’s trade price is tempting the Leafs to pull the trigger
Should the Maple Leafs trade for Evander Kane?