After looking into the Evander Kane situation this week, I’m going to have the unpopular opinion.
I think an NHL team with the right leadership and staff, both on and off the ice, should give him another chance.
Yes, I have lost count of what chance this would be. Now, with that being said, it has to be the right deal. Not the kind of deal Kane has been used to getting for a few years and a few million dollars.
For me, another Evander Kane NHL contract should be for one year and no more than $3.25 million. That limits the risk for the team. If Kane comes in, fits into the dressing room and produces, you could get some really good value out of the deal. If it doesn’t work, you’re only committed for one season.
You may ask where I came up with the $3.25 million number. Well, even though Kane brings off-ice baggage, I still think he has a lot to offer an NHL team.
Kane Can Still Produce
No, Kane isn’t the 30-plus-goal scorer he used to be. He isn’t 25 years old anymore, but he isn’t 40 years old either. He isn’t going to play 18 minutes every night anymore, but that doesn’t mean he can’t still play meaningful minutes. Last season with the Vancouver Canucks, Kane played 71 games and put up 13 goals and 31 points.
Was that an amazing season? No. But let’s also remember what was happening in Vancouver. The Canucks had plenty of issues on and off the ice, and the team struggled. Kane still found a way to put up 31 points. Put him on a good team with less drama around him, and I think he could play around 12 minutes a night, get some time on the second power-play unit and potentially give you around 40 points.
You may ask where I got those numbers from.
Look at what Kane did during his time with Edmonton. In 2023-24, Kane had 24 goals and 44 points in 77 games. He also helped Edmonton reach the Stanley Cup Final that season. Even after missing the entire 2024-25 regular season because of injuries, he returned for the playoffs and put up 12 points in 21 games as Edmonton made another run to the Stanley Cup Final.
That’s why I don’t think expecting somewhere around 35 to 40 points from Kane in the right situation is crazy.
Kane Brings Something That’s Getting Harder to Find
There is also another part of Kane’s game that I think people are overlooking. In the “new” NHL, it’s getting harder to find players who bring Kane’s style of hockey. He’s big. He can skate. He has a hard shot. He hits. He’ll fight. He can also actually put the puck in the net. That combination still has value in the NHL. Look around the league at what teams are willing to pay for physical players.
Dakota Joshua carries a $3.25 million cap hit. Last season he played 55 games, scoring 10 goals and 18 points while adding 49 penalty minutes.
Brandon Tanev had a $2.5 million cap hit last season. He played 56 games and had just three points, although he still brought plenty of physicality with 155 hits and 50 penalty minutes.
Ryan Reaves played 50 games last season and finished with three points and 37 penalty minutes while carrying a $1.35 million cap hit.
I’m not saying all of these players have the exact same role as Kane. They don’t. That’s not my point. My point is NHL teams are already willing to spend money on players who bring toughness and physicality without necessarily providing a ton of offence.
Kane can potentially give you both. I understand hockey isn’t all about points. There are plenty of things players contribute that don’t show up on the scoresheet. However, if Kane can still give you 30 to 40 points, play on your second power-play unit, throw hits and bring some edge for around $3 million to $3.25 million, I think there is value there.
What About Evander Kane’s X Post?
This is another part of this situation I don’t completely understand.
Former teammate Kurtis Gabriel publicly criticized Kane and talked about his experience playing with him in San Jose. Kane responded.Was responding publicly the smartest thing to do when you’re looking for another NHL contract? Probably not.
But are we really at the point where this situation on X is going to be one of the reasons an NHL player doesn’t get another contract? We’re talking about hockey and the NHL.
This league has a long history of allowing players to return from controversies far more serious than an argument on social media. Look at Carter Hart. Whatever your personal opinion of that situation is, Hart returned to the NHL and became Vegas’ starting goalie during its run to the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. Go further back and look at Todd Bertuzzi. Bertuzzi was suspended following the infamous Steve Moore incident in 2004 and eventually returned to the NHL, playing for years afterward.
I’m not saying either of those situations is the same as Kane’s. They aren’t. That’s actually my point. The NHL has historically given players another opportunity following situations much more serious than an argument on X. Now we’re going to draw the line at Kane responding to someone who publicly criticized him? I don’t understand that. You can think Kane should have stayed off social media. That’s fair. You can think his history makes teams nervous. That’s also fair. But I don’t think an X argument should be what ends someone’s NHL career.
The Right Team Matters
This is where the biggest part of my argument comes in. I don’t think Kane fits everywhere. You need a strong dressing room. You need veteran leadership. You need a coaching staff and front office that aren’t afraid to hold players accountable. And Kane needs to understand exactly what his role is when he walks through the door. You’re not signing the Evander Kane from 10 years ago. You’re signing a 35-year-old veteran who should be playing somewhere around 12 minutes a night, getting some power-play time and bringing physicality into your middle six.
If he accepts that role, I think there’s still a useful NHL player there.
Evander Kane Is Worth the Gamble — At the Right Price
To sum up my thoughts on Kane, I think he is worth the gamble on another NHL contract if the fit, price and term are right. I’m not talking about giving him a massive contract. I’m talking about one year at around $3 million to $3.25 million. Put him in an organization with strong leadership, a good dressing room and a coaching staff that knows exactly what his role is.
If it works, you could have a physical middle-six forward who can contribute offensively, play on your second power-play unit and bring an element that is getting harder to find in today’s NHL. If it doesn’t work, you’re only committed for one season. Evander Kane comes with risk. Nobody should pretend otherwise.
But I keep coming back to one question. If another NHL player made the exact same X post, was already under contract and didn’t have Kane’s history, would we even still be talking about it a few weeks before the 2026-27 NHL season starts?
I don’t think we would. At the right price, on the right contract and with the right organization, I think Evander Kane is a risk worth taking.
