NHL rumors: The 2 frontrunners to land Canucks’ Evander Kane

The Vancouver Canucks have fully committed to the rebuild after trading franchise cornerstone Quinn Hughes and subsequently losing 14 of 20 games to fall to dead last in National Hockey League standings.

It’s expected that there will be a mass exodus out of British Columbia ahead of the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline as the front office looks to both make the roster younger and acquire draft capital for the future.

Pending unrestricted free agent Kiefer Sherwood was already shipped to the San Jose Sharks earlier this week, and as hockey insider Kevin Weekes reported on Friday night, Evander Kane could be next — with a couple of Central Division contenders at the top of the list.

“Per multiple sources, I’m told the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche are among the likely destinations for Canucks F Kane via potential trade,” Weekes wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Kane joined Vancouver in a trade from the Edmonton Oilers at the 2025 NHL Draft, but he’s struggled in 2025-26. The 34-year-old has managed just nine goals and 23 points in 50 games, along with a minus-17.

Like Sherwood, Kane will be a UFA this summer, and with a teardown coming, it seems only natural that Canucks management tries to move the veteran and get the best possible return.

Evander Kane could chase a Stanley Cup with Avalanche or Stars

Kane is making just over $5 million in 2025-26, so it wouldn’t be impossible for Colorado or Dallas to fit the left winger on the roster.

The Avalanche and Stars are the two best teams in the Central Division — and probably the Western Conference — and the bitter rivals are both eyeing deep runs in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Denver and Texas have been solid spots for aging veterans in recent years; the Avs got great production from Jonathan Drouin and are still getting it from Brock Nelson, while the Stars have a plethora of older forwards including Matt Duchene, Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn.

Despite a down year, Kane has been a reliable goal-scorer throughout his career, scoring at least 20 times in nine of his last 13 campaigns in the NHL.

He knows what it takes to have success in the postseason as well, helping the Oilers advance to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. He boasts 980 games of regular-season experience in the league, and has played in 97 playoff contests, adding 55 points.

Kane brings a mix of grit and scoring ability that will be coveted ahead of the deadline, and both Colorado and Dallas have enough draft capital in the arsenal to get a potential deal over the finish line.

It’ll be interesting to see where the Vancouver native ends up, but it’s seems like a sure thing that he will be getting a change of scenery between now and the beginning of March.

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