Though Winnipeg Jets forward Evander Kane is set to undergo a surgical procedure to repair his damaged shoulder this weekend, the Jets are still reportedly fielding calls and looking to trade him before the March 2nd NHL Trade Deadline, according to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN and TSN.

Read on for more.

Here are LeBrun’s comments from an appearance on TSN 1050 radio in Toronto on Friday afternoon:

I know that some people thought once the announcement came that he was having surgery, ‘well there goes the trade.’ Not so fast. (I) still have heard from a couple of teams that are still investigating the merits of trading for him, looking at it as a long-term investment, you know not worrying aobut this year. Certainly from talking to a Jets team source I know they’re still fielding calls – not as many now, because some of the contenders that were looking at him, were looking at him for this years playoffs, so those teams are probably out. But i think there are other teams still saying ‘hey this guy can help us for many years down the road.’ so those conversations are still happening with the Jets and I think the plan for sure is to try and move him before March 2nd if they can.

Of the teams that were reportedly interested in Kane earlier in the week, the majority would qualify as contenders, including the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks. One team that’s more on the bubble and is reportedly very hot for Kane is the Vancouver Canucks. Considering Kane’s local ties to the Vancouver market and the close connection between Newport Sports Agency – which represents Kane – and Vancouver’s management team, perhaps there’s still a fit there.

Of course, it’s also worth noting that Vancouver has – by far – the least to offer the Jets in terms of quality futures among the those five teams.

LeBrun also discussed Winnipeg’s deadline posture, and his sense is that general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, who has been extraordinarily conservative during his years in Winnipeg thus far, is ready to go for it to some extent.

“I think (Cheveldayoff) wants to reward his group for having their best year since they moved to Winnipeg and try to salvage this situation here and stay in a playoff spot,” LeBrun said. “So yeah, I think if he can swing it I think he’s ready to start moving some futures in order to get in here.”

Though surely some Jets fans are – like the players they root for – beginning to suffer from some level of Kane-fatigue this week, it would appear that this story hasn’t quite yet run its course.

Stay tuned.

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Note: I recorded LeBrun’s comments and transcribed them. We’ll update this post with a podcast link once TSN posts it on their website.





