“Next year is critical” - Insider believes Evander Kane’s NHL career hangs in balance following Canucks trade

Evander Kane will play for his home crowd after joining the Vancouver Canucks. The team received him from the Edmonton Oilers for a 2025 fourth-round pick. Kane, 33, has one year left on his contract.

On Friday's episode of the "32 Thoughts" podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said Kane’s future in the league depends on how he plays next season.

"Next year is a huge one for Evander Kane and the future of his NHL career," Friedman said. "It didn’t go well for him in the Final—he became unglued—but he had three great rounds in the playoffs."

Kane missed the entire regular season due to injury but returned for the playoffs and had 12 points in 21 games.

According to Friedman, Kane needs a strong season or his NHL career may be over.

"Now, I’ll say this: I think Canucks fans have a legitimate concern," Friedman said. "They went through a really tough season, and there was talk that the locker room was a problem. So now, bringing in Kane—who has had issues at times in his career—that’s a fair question to raise."

"I just think next year is critical," Friedman added. "If he doesn’t have a strong season, his NHL career might be over. And that’s a powerful motivator." Friedman said.

Friedman said Kane has improved in how he handles things. It’s not a bad thing if Kane is different. What matters most is his effort on the ice. If he practices hard, plays hard, and supports his teammates, that’s what counts.

Evander Kane has played for five NHL teams, including the San Jose Sharks and the Winnipeg Jets. Now, the expectations from the Canucks team would be for him to contribute to the team's offense and play hard at times.

Canucks signed Evander Kane for his toughness and scoring

Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said Evander Kane brings size, toughness and playoff experience. He hopes Kane can help replace Brock Boeser, who may leave the team.

“Evander is a physical power forward who will add some much-needed size and toughness," Allvin said after Kane's signing, via NHL.com. “We like the way he wins puck battles along the boards ... in the dirty areas in front of the net. Evander moves well around the ice and has proven to be a productive goal scorer ... our staff looks forward to working with him."

Evander Kane is returning home. The Canucks hope he can stay healthy and give the team an edge.