Team Canada had sky-high expectations when it set out to bring Sidney Crosby his third Olympic gold medal. However, the reality could not have unfolded more differently. Nonetheless, the likes of Crosby and Connor McDavid don’t have the luxury to mourn the Olympic outcome: the NHL season is upon us again.
Consequently, with the NHL trade deadline being less than two weeks away, front offices are bound to get loud.
Dallas Stars’ Interest in Evander Kane Intensifies
The Vancouver Canucks’ season is as dead as it could get. The team’s focus remains on rebuilding, and the front office in Vancouver wants to add as many assets as possible to ensure the coming season fares better than the nightmare the Canucks have endured this season.
Technically, Patrik Allvin is quite open to listening to offers for technically anyone on the team, but even among them, Evander Kane stands out as one of the foremost trade candidates. Kane is teetering on the verge of free agency, and while he has not been quite himself since joining the Canucks, accumulating 25 points over 56 games, a change of scenery might yield benefits.
Enter, the Dallas Stars. There are reports about the Stars having a genuine interest in the winger, despite his underwhelming season. While Jim Nill’s prioritizing of a player’s character off the ice may clash with the many controversies that Kane has found himself entangled in, Dallas has its reasons to pursue the veteran winger.
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First of all, the grit and physical edge that Kane brings to the table is one that the Stars are lacking. “Kane is known as a physical presence, ranking second on the Canucks in hits given this season with 94. That number would lead the Stars,” Lia Assimakopoulos pointed out for the Dallas Morning News.
Moreover, the Stars definitely need help up front. The depth behind Jason Robertson has been seriously compromised, and Kane’s addition could go a long way to address the issue. “The Stars are also seeking a top-six left winger, one of the positions in which they lack the most depth behind Robertson. In his last full NHL season in Edmonton, Kane scored 24 goals. The Stars lost three 20-goal scorers last offseason in Mason Marchment, Evgenii Dadonov, and Mikael Granlund, and could use someone to fill that void,” Assimakopoulos further explained.
Furthermore, familiarity between Kane and Stars HC Glen Gulutzan can also positively impact any development in this direction. If we consider the fact that the Canucks will be willing to retain a good chunk of the winger’s contract, the Stars have a lot of incentive to consider a move to acquire Kane seriously.
