Oilers trade Evander Kane to the Canucks, clearing salary cap space for next season
Associated Press
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Evander Kane is going home to play for the Vancouver Canucks after a trade from the Edmonton Oilers that helps the two-time defending Western Conference champions free up some much-needed salary cap space.
Vancouver acquired Kane on Wednesday for the 117th pick in the upcoming NHL draft, taking on his entire $4 million salary. Edmonton clears $5.125 million off the cap, with Leon Draisaitl's new contract taking effect and Evan Bouchard set for a raise of his own.
'Evander is a physical power forward who will add some much-needed size and toughness to our group,' Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said. 'We like the way he wins puck battles along the boards and handles himself in the dirty areas in front of the net. Evander moves well around the ice and has proven to be a productive goal scorer in the National Hockey League. We are excited to bring him back home to Vancouver and our staff looks forward to working with him this coming season.'
The soon-to-be 34-year-old winger broke the news on social media that he had been traded, his agent soon confirmed it and the teams announced it not long after. He posted a lengthy message thanking the Oilers and saying he was looking forward to the next chapter of his career in his hometown in British Columbia.
Kane returned early in the playoffs after missing the entire regular season following multiple surgeries to repair a series of injuries and had six goals and six assists on Edmonton's second consecutive run to the Stanley Cup Final. He took six minor penalties and led all players with 32 penalty minutes in the series loss to Florida.
'To my teammates — thank you for the battles, the friendships, and the memories,' Kane posted. 'I'll always remember the playoff runs, the highs and lows, and the pride of going to war with a special group of guys.'
Vancouver will be the fifth organization and sixth city for Kane, who was drafted by Atlanta, followed that franchise to Winnipeg and also has played for Buffalo and San Jose. He played at the junior level for the Western Hockey League's Vancouver Giants.
'It's an honor to become part of an organization and team I grew up watching as a kid,' Kane said. 'Vancouver is a city that lives and breathes hockey, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to play in front of my hometown.'
The fourth-round pick involved, originally Ottawa's, is the same one the Oilers sent to the Canucks for Vasily Podkolzin last August.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
recommended
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin wins PWHL's Billie Jean King MVP award
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Montreal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin has won the Professional Women's Hockey League's Billie Jean King MVP Award for the 2024-25 season. Poulin, who was also named forward of the year, was presented the awards at a ceremony Wednesday in Ottawa. The 34-year-old Poulin led the league with 19 goals and finished fourth with 26 points in 30 games. Poulin was also a finalist for the MVP and top forward awards in the inaugural 2024 PWHL season. Both awards were won by Toronto's Natalie Spooner. The awards capped another year of major achievements for Poulin, who was named the IIHF's Female Player of the Year earlier this month after taking MVP honors at the women's world championship in April with a tournament-leading 12 points (four goals, eight assists). Toronto Sceptres defender Renata Fast and Boston Fleet captain Hilary Knight (now with Seattle) were the other MVP finalists, while Knight and New York Sirens forward Sarah Fillier were up for forward of the year. Fast and Fillier did not leave empty-handed. Fast took home defender of the year honors while Fillier was named the league's top rookie. The 30-year-old Fast tied for first in scoring among defenders with 22 points in 30 games, led the league with 63 hits and led all skaters with an average of 24 minutes, 39 seconds of ice time per game. Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson of the PWHL champion Minnesota Frost (both now with Vancouver) were the other finalists. Fillier, 25, tied for the league lead with 29 points in 30 games and led the league with five power-play goals. Montreal forward Jenn Gardiner (now with Vancouver) and Ottawa goaltender Gwyneth Philips also were finalists. Montreal's Ann-Renée Desbiens took goaltender of the year honors. The 31-year-old led all goalies with 15 wins and her 1.86 goals-against average and .932 save percentage were top marks among all starters. Philips and Boston's Aerin Frankel also were finalists. Montreal's Kori Cheverie won coach of the year after leading the Victoire to first place in the PWHL standings with a 12-7-3-8 record. Ottawa's Carla MacLeod and Toronto's Troy Ryan, who won the award last year, were also in the running. Victoire forward Laura Stacey won the Hockey For All Award given to the player 'who made the greatest impact in their community.' Poulin, Fillier, Knight, Fast, Jaques and Desbiens were named to the league's first all-star team. Minnesota's Kendall Coyne Schofield, Ottawa's Tereza Vanisova (now Vancouver), Toronto's Daryl Watts, New York's Ella Shelton (now Toronto), Thompson and Frankel were named to the second all-star team.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Oilers trading Evander Kane was expected. It's their next move that truly matters
Trading Evander Kane was always the most likely and logical outcome for the Edmonton Oilers. Though they'll miss the combination of Kane's scoring and power-forward abilities, the pros of no longer having him on the roster or his cap hit on the books outweigh the cons. That there was a market — even a limited one, thanks to Kane's partial no-trade clause — to ditch his entire $5.125 million cap hit on the last year of his contract meant the Oilers had to capitalize. Advertisement They're expected to have a built-in, cheaper and younger replacement at the ready once Trent Frederic re-signs — albeit someone without the same track record for offence. Kane turns 34 in August, whereas Frederic is 27. There's little downside here. Getting a fourth-round pick from Vancouver isn't much, but it's not unexpected since Dallas got a third and fourth from Seattle for Mason Marchment last week. Marchment makes $625,000 less than Kane with the same one-year term on his deal and is nearly four years younger. Most importantly, the Oilers accomplished something they needed to do. Clearing money will help in their attempts to upgrade the goaltending position, re-sign No. 1 blueliner Evan Bouchard and fill out the rest of the roster. But moving out Kane is only the first domino to fall in the offseason makeover for the Oilers. And it's how the next one drops that'll truly determine what they can accomplish this summer — and how much better they'll be by the time next season starts. The Oilers now have a little more than $17 million in cap space, per PuckPedia, but that's before Frederic's new contract hits the books. Punting Kane and retaining Frederic will net the Oilers no more than $1.5 million in savings on the cap. That's the cost of bringing back Corey Perry — if that comes to pass — or adding another bottom-six player. It's adding a little more to the coffers — the Oilers should be in the $13.2 million to $13.5 million range — but there's still a lot to be done. Even if Bouchard signs for a lower AAV on a four-year contract, as colleague Pierre LeBrun reported might be the play, the team's top defenceman will easily consume more than half of the remaining cap space. Any cost of bringing in a new goaltender would be whittled down a bit by removing either Stuart Skinner's $2.6 million cap hit or Calvin Pickard's $1 million salary. But the Oilers are going to have to take on more money to upgrade between the pipes. Advertisement That'll leave precious little left to round out the roster, whether that's finding a depth right-handed centreman and bringing back Perry and/or Connor Brown. Really, it's how GM Stan Bowman handles what seems like an inevitable Viktor Arvidsson exit that'll likely determine if the Oilers can get another intriguing middle-six, or even top-six, forward. Arvidsson and pending UFA Jeff Skinner were the team's two biggest signings on last July 1, and neither winger panned out as planned. Both were scratched during the playoffs, including in the Stanley Cup Final. It's Arvidsson, however, who has another year on his $4 million AAV contract. He also has a no-movement clause, which limits his market. Arvidsson was openly displeased to be held out of the lineup during the postseason, so there's a belief that a trade can be facilitated. He can dictate the terms of any trade, though, thanks to his contract status. The 32-year-old had 15 goals and 27 goals in 67 games while getting ample time next to Hart Trophy runner-up Leon Draisaitl. He had two goals and seven points in 15 postseason contests. The Oilers are not expected to use a buyout on Arvidsson. As with Kane, not retaining any money to deal him is more important than whatever paltry return they're bound to receive. Clearing $4 million allows management to gain some flexibility to truly change the roster. Kane started that process, but Arvidsson could kick it into overdrive.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mavericks Lose Key Defensive Architect as Coach Joins Spurs Staff
Mavericks Lose Key Defensive Architect as Coach Joins Spurs Staff originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Dallas Mavericks have lost one of their most valuable coaching assets as assistant coach Sean Sweeney has agreed to become the associate head coach of the San Antonio Spurs under Mitch Johnson. ESPN's Shams Charania announced the move Sunday afternoon. Advertisement This represents a crushing blow for the Mavericks, as Sweeney has been widely regarded as one of the NBA's premier defensive minds. His departure removes a key architect of Dallas's defensive transformation and a coach who was instrumental in the team's recent playoff success. Sweeney joined Jason Kidd's staff in 2021, reuniting with his longtime coaching partner after previous collaborations in Brooklyn and Milwaukee. The Saint Paul, Minnesota native immediately made his mark in Dallas, helping transform the Mavericks from a 21st-ranked defense in 2020-21 to a top-seven unit in his first season. That defensive improvement was crucial to Dallas's run to the Western Conference finals in 2022. Known for his tireless work ethic and sophisticated defensive schemes, Sweeney became one of Kidd's most trusted assistants. His ability to develop young players and adapt defensive strategies to different personnel made him invaluable during crucial playoff moments. Kidd has consistently praised Sweeney's potential, stating during the 2024 NBA Finals that "he'll be a coach one day and it's a great partnership." The timing of Sweeney's departure is particularly challenging for Dallas, as his contract was set to expire at the end of this month. The Mavericks have already experienced significant coaching staff turnover this offseason and losing their defensive coordinator creates another major hole to fill. Advertisement Sweeney's move comes after he was a finalist for multiple head coaching positions over the past two summers, including with the Detroit Pistons and Phoenix Suns. His reputation as a defensive mastermind and player development specialist made him one of the most sought-after assistant coaches in the league. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Dallas's natural response would be to approach coaching consultant Frank Vogel about moving into Sweeney's role, but Vogel has been comfortable staying in his consulting position while awaiting his next head coaching opportunity. The loss stings even more considering San Antonio is a division rival. The Spurs landed one of the NBA's top defensive minds to help establish their new era under Johnson, while Dallas must now find a way to preserve the defensive foundation that Sweeney helped build during his four transformative seasons with the organization. Related: Cooper Flagg Sends Strong Message After Arriving in New York for 2025 NBA Draft Related: Shaq Sparks Debate by Comparing 'Baby Dirk' Cooper Flagg to Mavs Icon Nowitzki This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
