Could Islanders consider this Canucks forward as depth scoring?

The New York Islanders have a habit of fleecing the Vancouver Canucks. The Bo Horvat trade is a good example of that. In fact, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

But there might be another opportunity out there for the Islanders to take advantage of the Canucks’ desperation. Specifically, we’re talking about one of Vancouver’s impending free agent forwards, Evander Kane.

Kane is in the final year of a four-year deal carrying a cap hit of $5.125 million. With the Canucks going nowhere fast, the chatter has been the team’s desire to move out future UFAs and recoup something.

That makes sense for the Canucks as they are now a rebuilding team. The Islanders, meanwhile, are in the thick of the action in the Metro Division. So, would it make sense to bring in a rental this season?

Possibly. The Isles lost Kyle Palmieri earlier this season to a knee injury. Horvat is out for the time being. That’s why adding a little more scoring punch could make sense for the Islanders.

Kane has scored six goals and 16 points in 32 games for the struggling Canucks. The team has been a mess this season. As such, it’s fair to assume that Kane could pick up his scoring in a more structured system with regular linemates.

Plus, Kane would bring an element of physicality that the Islanders could certainly use. If the price is right, the Isles should certainly kick the tires on Evander Kane this season.

Islanders may have to pay high price for Kane

The price to bring in Evander Kane may be a little higher than anticipated. There is a desperate shortage of top-six forwards available in the trade market this season. Vancouver seems to be the first club to openly admit they're done for the season.

That situation could make it hard for the Islanders to land someone like Kane without paying through the nose. While the Canucks may not be asking for a first-round pick, they’ll certainly want something to offset Kane’s departure.

Perhaps the Canucks may be interested in someone like Maxim Tsyplakov? Rumors have suggested Tsyplakov could be on the block for the Islanders. If that’s the case, sending the Russian import to the West Coast could give him a fresh start.

That’s nothing more than hearsay at this point. But it’s interesting to ponder if Mathieu Darche could be willing to pull the trigger on a deal to bring in reinforcements this season. Perhaps such trades may happen closer to the trade deadline.

But it will be interesting to watch the next couple of days. The Christmas roster freeze is about three days away. So, some deals may happen before then.