Canucks: Trade rumours aren't rattling Evander Kane ahead of deadline - Canada News Beep

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He’s on an expiring contract and the Canucks are expected to deal him ahead of the March 6 trade deadline

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Published Feb 24, 2026 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 4 minute read

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Evander Kane story Evander Kane of the Vancouver Canucks tries to get around Moritz Seider of the Detroit Red Wings during a game last month in Detroit. Photo by Gregory Shamus /Getty ImagesArticle content

Trade rumours keep flying fast and furious regarding Vancouver Canucks winger Evander Kane — but he doesn’t come off the least bit fazed.

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“In this city there seems to be chatter 365 days of the year, 24/7,” Kane, 34, said after Canucks practice Tuesday. “I’m shocked at how many hours of sleep some (media) guys must get. Whether you’ve been here for a year or you’ve been here for 10 years, there’s always chatter. It’s just part of the territory around here.

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“When you’re in the position that our team is in, and the nature of the business as long as I’ve been in the league, teams are going to move guys and certain players are going to go to Cup-contending playoff teams and get a chance to play in the playoffs. I think everybody in the room is aware of that, I think everybody around the league is aware of that. For me, it’s nothing new. It’s not surprising. If that opportunity happens, you welcome it and you know you’re excited for it.”

The trade deadline is March 6 and Kane is one of the Canucks on an expiring contract expected to be on the move to a new team as part of a Vancouver rebuild. Vancouver is last in the league, seven points back of their nearest rival.

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Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV’s Donnie and Dhali has reported that Kane’s agent Dan Milstein has been given permission by the Canucks to talk to other teams to help broker a swap. Vancouver has done that in the past with Milstein, most notably with Ilya Mikheyev.

There have been various reports of the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche being interested in adding Kane and the Vegas Golden Knights have been connected to a Kane deal now as well. This final year of his contract has a cap hit of $5.125 million, and there have been various reports, too, that the Canucks would retain salary to help make a trade happen.

There’s been suggestion in the media that the Canucks are chasing a third rounder in return for Kane. They gave up a 2025 fourth rounder to acquire him from the Edmonton Oilers last June, and so a return featuring a fourth or better would have to be considered a win.

Trade deadlines routinely do have a game-of-chicken feel to them. We’ll see how long they’re willing to wait on a Kane deal.

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Evander Kane is congratulated by Tyler Myers after scoring a goal against the Washington Capitals earlier this year Photo by Derek Cain /Getty Images

Kane, a former Vancouver Giants standout from east Vancouver, is a nine-time 20-goal man in the NHL, including tallying 24 times for the Oilers in the regular season two years ago. There was a school of thought that coming home and playing for a new contract was going to spur Kane onto those type of totals again, but hoped-for numbers haven’t materialized for him, much like they haven’t for many of his Vancouver cohorts.

Kane has nine goals and 25 points in 56 regular season games. He’s playing 16:50 a night, which is sixth amongst Vancouver forwards so far.

His shooting percentage is 6.6 per cent, which is the lowest of his 16-year NHL tenure. His combined career mark is 9.9 per cent.

Kane does have 97 career NHL playoff games under his belt, including making runs to the Stanley Cup Final the past two springs with the Oilers, and with his frame (6-foot-2, 218) and his willingness to play in high-traffic areas he seems built for the rigours of the post-season.

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He was fifth among Oilers forwards in average ice time last spring, seeing 16:29 per game on his way to scoring six times and bagging 12 points in 21 contests.

His best chance to get any sort of extended term and advanced dollar figure as an unrestricted free agent this summer will come with strong playoff showing. That’s obviously not happening with Vancouver.

“It’s a such a different level, such a different brand of hockey,” Kane said of the playoffs. “Everybody sees it. You don’t have to really even watch hockey that consistently to see the difference and the intensity guys are playing with and the desperation. It’s the best time of year to be playing hockey. I think anybody who’s been in the playoffs will tell you the same thing.”

Even with all the rumours, Kane maintained Tuesday that he wasn’t surprised there hasn’t be a deal yet. There’s generally a flurry of swaps in the day or two before the deadline, and with the Olympics and the roster freeze that went with it, teams are undoubtedly decompressing and re-evaluating as their players begin to filter back.

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The Stars, who have already been linked to Kane, were saying Tuesday forward Mikko Rantanen (lower body injury) will be out indefinitely after getting hurt playing for Finland at Milano Cortina 2026, although they do hope that he’ll be able to return before the end of the regular season.

“There was trade today,” Kane said, pointing to fellow former Giant and ex-Oiler teammate Brett Kulak going to the Avalanche from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Sam Girard in a blue liner swap, “and we’ll see movement continue to ramp up as we get closer to March 6.”

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SEwen@postmedia.com