Canucks’ statement on Evander Kane following trade backlash

Earlier on Wednesday, the Edmonton Oilers traded forward Evander Kane to the Vancouver Canucks in return for a fourth round pick in this year’s draft. No salary was retained in the deal, meaning moving Kane clears $5.13 million in cap space for the Oilers.

The transaction got a lot of people talking and even more fans frustrated in Vancouver.

When Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin met with reporters once the deal went through, he had to make a statement to explain why he had given a chance to a controversial player like Kane, who always ends up in hot water for one reason or another.

“The past is the past,” says Allvin of Kane, who notes that in his estimation Kane has matured the past few years in Edmonton.

“This gives us and gives him an opportunity to see if this is a long-term fit,” and adds that he’s hoping that it is.

Kane has a history of being punished in the NHL for off ice mishaps, and was suspended from the league for 21 games for faking COVID-19 documents during the 2021 season. As a result, his contract with the San Jose Sharks was later terminated, and he was later signed by Edmonton.

He’s moved around the league quite a bit, going fourth overall to Atlanta in 2009 and heading out with them in 2011 to Winnipeg. Then he played in Buffalo and San Jose before going to Edmonton.

And now Vancouver.

When he spoke with media on Thursday, Kane himself alluded to his troubled past saying he can use it to teach younger teammates some life lessons.

“When you go through different things on and off the ice, you can lend those lessons to some of the younger guys and some other guys that are maybe struggling with things,” he said.

“Just being mentally tough, especially in a Canadian market, can be important and it can be difficult when you’re not used to it. So I think leadership is something that I’ve always tried to do and lead by example, especially on the ice. And I think that’s gonna be important moving forward as well.”

As for a long-term fit in Vancouver? Let’s not forget that Kane will be turning 34 in August and has undergone significant surgeries on different injuries fairly recently.

In the postseason, after a full year out of action, Kane did not return as a quality player and posted six goals and 12 points in 21 games. He had played through injury most of last season, and still led the Oilers in hits while scoring 24 goals. Completely different story this postseason…

And the past? I can just go back to Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final to see that Kane’s arrogance and bad decisions are still there. Kane started losing his temper and having a hissy fit on the ice, swinging his stick at Matthew Tkachuk and attempting to injure him. Kane was therefore given a misconduct and was ejected from the contest. However, once the final buzzer went off and the Florida Panthers celebrated, Kane did not come out of the tunnel to join his teammates in the line. Many pundits and insiders noticed how the Oilers’ forward showed classless disrespect for the winners and he has since been called out and getting a lot of heat for his terrible decision. And Kane’s way of dealing with the backlash has been nothing but childish.

GM Allvin can say whatever he wants to convince himself that the Kane trade is a brilliant idea.

I’m not sure fans will easily move on until they can see what Kane can do for the Canucks on the ice in 2025-26.