The Evander Kane situation in Vancouver just got even messier

The NHL’s holiday freeze is just a few weeks away, and with the 2025–26 season approaching the two-month mark, trade chatter is heating up across the league, more especially when it comes to the Canucks. But in Vancouver, one name stands out, not because of demand, but because of the stunning lack of it. Veteran winger Evander Kane appears to be drawing virtually no interest on the market.

Earlier this week, NHL insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period summed it up bluntly:

“I don’t expect there to be much interest in Evander Kane, so I’m not anticipating a move there.”

For a player with Kane’s résumé, that’s a significant blow.

Canucks GM Patrik Allvin has been not-so-quietly shopping several veteran pieces, including pending UFAs Kiefer Sherwood and Kane. Sherwood is getting calls. Other depth players are getting looks. But according to multiple reports, Kane’s phone isn’t buzzing, at all.

And based on his numbers, it’s hard to argue. Kane has produced just five goals and 14 points in 27 games, far off the pace Vancouver hoped for when they brought him in. At five-on-five, he’s struggled to generate sustained offense, and his physical presence, once a defining element of his game, hasn’t been enough to offset the dip in production.

League executives seem to be reading the situation the same way: this isn’t the Evander Kane of years past, and no one is eager to gamble on a rebound.

That leaves Allvin in a tight spot. If Vancouver is truly determined to move on, the Canucks may have to sweeten the pot, either by retaining salary or attaching a draft pick or prospect just to make Kane movable. With more than three months left before the deadline, there’s time for opinions to shift, but right now the league’s stance is clear. The market has spoken, and it’s not saying much about Evander Kane.