Reports: Evander Kane's 'name is out there' on trade market, but return needs to be big

Evander Kane, the Winnipeg Jets' fourth overall pick in 2009, is a 22-year-old 30-goal scorer, and is locked into a fairly team-friendly $5.25-million a year contract through 2017-18. As such, it would appear that general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has a significant building block around whom he can form some semblance of a winning team.

Yet, as the offseason rumor mill churns, Kane's name is repeatedly mentioned as a potential trade candidate, as confirmed once again Saturday by Gary Lawless of the Free Press. 

While Lawless contends the talk is "over-hyped right now", he added "his name is out there" and that Kane could indeed be acquired, albeit at a heavy price.

Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun echoes a similar sentiment, saying Kane could be had, "but the price tag is going to be steep, as it should be."

Wiebe writes that Kane is a rare talent:

Thirty goal scorers that can kill penalties, skate like the wind and play a physical game don’t exactly grow on trees. No, Kane hasn’t reached his potential in three seasons with the Jets, but he hasn’t had the benefit of regular linemates or been given much first-unit power-play time either. I remain of the belief that Kane could become a more consistent game-breaker if used frequently on a line with Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. However, if Cheveldayoff is blown away by an offer, I could see him pulling the trigger. But Kane — who is under contract for a cap-friendly deal of $5.25 million through 2017-18 — won’t be moved for shock value alone.

While the very thought of trading a player of Kane's caliber and potential seems odd to some, it's certainly not out of the question (see: Seguin, Tyler). If the Jets feel they can progress as an organization by flipping Kane for two or three key assets, this is a trade that could happen at some point over the summer.

Stay tuned.