Teams Already Showing Interest in Evander Kane Trade

It’s not going to be a deal where a team picks up Evander Kane at his full salary of $7 million, but if the San Jose Sharks are willing to retain 50% of the winger’s salary, there will be teams willing to take a calculated risk at the cost of $3.5 million over the next few seasons. If another team steps in, the number of viable trade options for the Sharks goes way up, according to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan.

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From today’s episode of The Point, here’s some early trade scuttle I’m hearing… pic.twitter.com/U6kPXre7Q6

— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) December 2, 2021

“I’m told there’s already lots of interest in Evander Kane. Right now, teams that are interested are looking for a third-party broker, a team that can retain even more salary.” She adds that at $3.5 million, there are teams considering it. If it’s even less than that, she believes there will be teams lined out the door.

One of the things Kaplan says teams are looking at is how strong their locker room is as a unit and whether or not bringing in Kane would disrupt their team chemistry. That likely means a couple of teams probably looked at this and ultimately decided the risk isn’t worth the potential reward — much like the San Jose Sharks themselves feel.

Kane also has three teams on his list of clubs he’d be willing to accept a trade to. This means that unless the Sharks work a deal with one of those three teams, the organization will need to get Kane’s approval to move him anywhere. Kane has a lot of say in where he winds up.

This Trade Could Drag Out

Kane is currently with the Barracudas in the AHL and he says he and his agent have a strong plan. Still, he could be there for a while as teams try to maneuver a possible deal. Getting a third team involved is never easy because there are a number of moving parts. And, unless one of the teams that want Kane is hoping he comes in and helps push their organization back into a playoff spot, clubs may not be in a rush to make the wrong trade.

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