Three possible teams emerge where Oilers Evander Kane could be traded to

When healthy, Evander Kane is a force on the ice. He can be dominant physically and is a player who can score at will. At 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Kane isn't afraid to throw his weight around. He makes life difficult for defenders and is a player opponents must watch at all times, chasing down pucks or battling for position near the goal. But with a major surgery recently behind him and salary cap challenges ahead for the Oilers, a return to the Alberta capital is no sure thing. With two years remaining on his contract at $5.1 million per year, Kane could be the trade chip the Oilers need to clean up their books and sort out their jammed lineup.

For Anaheim, taking Kane's contract wouldn't be an issue. They've got their core pieces young and signed to long-term contracts; they do have room to take on Kane's salary. Having him would bring back that hard-nosed, skilled identity Anaheim once was known for, thus making them a harder team to face in the Western Conference.

The other proper landing spot could be the Columbus Blue Jackets. With the projected most in terms of cap space in the league at $25 million, Columbus has ample room to take his contract in. They're a team in search of an identity, and Kane would be huge for them, especially on the power play. Kane's ability to score in front of the net would be huge for a team that had the second-worst power play last season.

The Utah Hockey Club has made it known that they're hungry and ready to win. This offseason, in advance of their inaugural season, was full of huge transactions and prepared Utah to win far more games than they did a season ago as the Arizona Coyotes. Adding Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino, and Ian Cole has made the team's blue line a lot stronger, while the likes of Dylan Guenther, Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz, and Josh Doan will spearhead Utah's attack for many years. Adding a player of Kane's pedigree could be Utah's next big splash and would immediately make the team far tougher to play against.

Of course, nothing is set in stone just yet, but a Kane trade could be that scenario in which everyone walks out happy: The Oilers get relief from their cap problems, Kane perhaps gets a fresh start, and whatever team picks him up gets a proven player to make some sort of immediate impact.