With the Vancouver Canucks being in the cellar (dead last) of the Pacific Division, all signs point to the organization being sellers at the NHL trade deadline, which is exactly one week away on March 6.
As for the Carolina Hurricanes, they are in a much different position. The Canes have aspirations of making the Stanley Cup Final, and this might be the best opportunity they have had in a few years. Carolina is rolling in the Metropolitan Division, but there are still needs that remain on this Hurricanes’ roster. Canucks’ forward Evander Kane was recently mentioned by TSN’s Chris Johnston as a player available that could be moved to a contender.
Evander Kane is Set to Become a UFA
Evander Kane is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season’s end, so the right move by a struggling Vancouver team would be to just trade Kane now and see what a team like the Hurricanes would be willing to give up for the 34-year-old left winger.
Chris Johnston believes three teams could trade for Evander Kane:
GettyCould the Hurricanes land Evander Kane from the Canucks with this trade pitch?
“Now that the Olympic freeze has lifted and trades are allowed to happen again, the expectation is that Kane will be moved on to a team with playoff aspirations. Those like the Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Dallas Stars, among others, have at least inquired here, and it shouldnât be a high cost with Kane potentially having half his salary retained by the Canucks.”
Kane has played in 57 games with the Canucks this season, so it’s clear he still wants to be out on the ice, and he’s tallied 10 goals and 16 assists in those games. Kane wouldn’t be a top contributor for this Canes team, but a potential trade chip the Hurricanes could offer the Canucks is Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who is thought to be the subject of trade rumors in the Hurricanes organization.
What Impact Could Evander Kane Have on the Hurricanes?
The Hurricanes are one of the most complete teams in the NHL, but this trade deadline will be uber-important for the Canes, because other teams with Stanley Cup aspirations will also be looking to add to their roster for the final stretch of the season.
Carolina will be in the playoffs, that’s a guarantee, but adding a guy like Evander Kane could provide another level of forward-depth, and just another player who has deep playoff experience, and clutch goals in the past.
Kane did not play in the 2024-25 season, but had many memorable moments with the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL playoffs from 2021 to 2024.
He could be a good fit for Carolina’s third or fourth line of wingers, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi would be a good return for Vancouver, as it seems there’s some disconnect between Jesperi and the Hurricanes organization.
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