Welcome back to Meet the Buyers, a pre-deadline series at CanucksArmy that may or may not be named after hit 2004 comedy sequel Meet the Fockers.

The premise here is that talking about the theoretical trade value of the various assets on the Vancouver Canucks is all well and good, but it still takes two to tango. Any trade value is theoretical, really, until someone becomes willing to pay it.

It’s hard to talk about what the Canucks might get back for what they are selling without talking about who might be buying it. So, this series attempts to guess at which other NHL teams might be well and truly interested in the Canucks’ for-sale items.

Last time around, we did a two-for-one special in which we looked at teams in need of a bottom-six centre, and speculated about their interest in Teddy Blueger and David Kampf.

This time, we’re covering the other remaining pending UFA of note in Evander Kane.

The rumours around Kane have been fairly consistent since the dawn of the new year. We know he’s on the market, and we know a trade is likely. He and his agent have already been given permission to speak to other teams to help facilitate a deal, and it’s almost become a matter of when, not if.

The expected return is a mid-round pick. Some believe the Canucks will only be able to get back the fourth rounder they paid for Kane in the first place, some believe it could be a third, and some believe it could get as high as a second, should the bidding get really out of hand.

We have also heard tell that the Canucks are willing to retain on Kane’s $5.125 million cap hit, which should increase the pool of available suitors. A 16-team no-trade clause could get in the way a little, but then with Kane’s agency already involved, it seems like something can be worked out.

But worked out with whom? That’s what we’re taking a stab at today.

Boston Bruins

Current Top-Nine Wingers: David Pastrnak, Morgan Geekie, Viktor Arvidsson, Casey Mittelstadt, Tanner Jeannot, Mark Kastelic

The Bruins have been named as a potential destination for Kane already, and it’s not hard to see the personality match. The Bruins pride themselves on their heavy play, and have built a roster to accommodate that. But some of their heavier wingers, in Jeannot and Kastelic, are probably playing a little too high up the lineup in the current moment.

Kane could represent a cost-effective top-nine upgrade that could match the general style of the other Boston wingers but with more potential for offensive contributions.

Colorado Avalanche

Current Top-Nine Wingers: Martin Necas, Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen, Ross Colton, Victor Olofsson

The team that has been most attached to Kane in rumours is the Avalanche. They are the best team in hockey, but if they’ve got a weak point, it is definitely on the wings, where they are a tad thin.

Kane easily steps into their top-nine, and may even find himself within their top-six under the right circumstances. There’s also been a belief expressed that, of all the NHL dressing rooms out there, Nathan MacKinnon’s Colorado room is best equipped to keep a lid on Kane’s eccentricities.

The Avalanche are gearing up for a lengthy playoff run, so why not take a good long look at someone who has been to the last two Stanley Cup Finals?

Dallas Stars

Current Top-Nine Wingers: Mikko Rantanen, Jason Robertson, Mavrik Bourque, Jamie Benn, Justin Hryckowian, Sam Steel

The Dallas Stars have also been named as a potential Kane-seeker, and it’s not hard to see why. Their wing corps are very top-heavy, with Rantanen and Robertson a clear step ahead of the rest of the pack.

Kane would complement the veteran heaviness of Benn nicely, and could feasibly fit into any of the Stars’ top three forward lines. The Stars are almost certainly going to have to face the aforementioned Avalanche in the postseason. Part of the equation here has to be that if one team gets Kane, the other team doesn’t. And he is a player that has made a difference in a playoff series before.

Detroit Red Wings

Current Top-Nine Wingers: Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat, Patrick Kane, Marco Kasper, Emmitt Finnie, Mason Appleton

We’re not entirely sure that Evander Kane is a Steve Yzerman-type player. But the Wings have already brought in one Kane with an iffy past, and that seems to have worked out just fine. In reality, beyond Kane and DeBrincat, the Wings are very inexperienced on the wings, and that’s not ideal heading into their first postseason in a good long while.

Adding the other Kane to the mix might help equip them to face more playoff-tested and playoff-built rosters in the East.

Edmonton Oilers

Current Top-Nine Wingers: Zach Hyman, Vasily Podkolzin, Kasperi Kapanen, Matt Savoie, Andrew Mangiapane, Jack Roslovic

Now, we here at CanucksArmy have already published an article entitled “Why the Canucks trading Evander Kane back to the Oilers just won’t work.” But never say never.

The fact of the matter is that the notoriously top-heavy and centre-heavy Oilers appear to be weaker on the wings than ever, but are still otherwise set on competing. They are also incredibly low on cap space. The Oilers will look for upgrades, but they might have a tough time shopping for them. And if that’s the case, maybe they do wind up circling back on an old familiar who won’t cost them very much. If it’s a buy-low option for the Oilers, it might be best to go with one they know has worked out for them in the past.

Los Angeles Kings

Current Top-Nine Wingers: Adrian Kempe, Artemi Panarin, Trevor Moore, Kevin Fiala (injured), Corey Perry, Joel Armia

Speaking of old connections, the GM who brought Kane onto the Oilers roster is no longer their GM. But Ken Holland is GM of the Los Angeles Kings now, and he might be interested in a reunion, too.

The Kings are clearly going for it, having already brought in Panarin at a bargain rate. Their top-nine is fine in the aftermath, but kind of jam-packed with middle-six talent. When that’s the case, supplementing with depth is a good idea, and Kane represents depth that Holland is familiar with.

He’s already got Perry back in his fold. Kane provides a lot of the same things, and complements what Los Angles has built up thus far.

Late edit: Kevin Fiala’s awful-looking injury at the Olympic Games makes a middle-six addition an even bigger priority for the Kings. While we don’t have any details at this time, that did have the look of something that could keep Fiala out well into any postseason run.

Ottawa Senators

Current Top-Nine Wingers: Brady Tkachuk, Drake Batherson, Claude Giroux, Ridly Greig, David Perron, Mike Amadio

The Senators have been mentioned as a potential Conor Garland destination. But failing that, a Kane trade also makes some sense for them – so long as they remain a buyer, and don’t fall out in the two weeks after the Olympic Break.

Kane makes plenty of sense for a forward corps led by a Tkachuk. If these Sens make the playoffs, they’re going to be involved in a lot of scrums, and Kane is a scrum veteran. With Perron’s long-term injury and a few of the other Ottawa forwards a little high on the depth chart, Kane could provide them with a little of what they might be looking for in Garland, but at a much, much cheaper price.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Current Top-Nine Wingers: Nikita Kucherov, Brandon Hagel, Jake Guentzel, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Gage Goncalves, Pontus Holmberg

At this point, the chances of the Lightning meeting their state rival Florida Panthers in the playoffs again seem slim, but it still could happen. And if it does, the Lightning might be grateful to have someone who has spent the last couple playoffs doing battle with the Panthers on their roster.

The Lightning have been absolutely besieged by injuries this year, and they could use some depth to help cover that. Kane fits well enough into their top-nine, but more importantly, he adds some truculence to help the resurging Lightning in the abrasive clashes that are sure to come out of the Eastern Conference playoffs this year.

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