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Winnipeg columnist thinks Evander Kane should cash in

Colorado Avalanche v Winnipeg Jets

WINNIPEG, CANADA - FEBRUARY 19: Evander Kane #9 of the Winnipeg Jets is led to the penalty box during their NHL game by linesman Lonnie Cameron #74 after fighting Ryan O’Reilly of the Colorado Avalanche at MTS Centre on February 19, 2012 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

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After scoring a total of 33 goals in his first two seasons, Jets forward Evander Kane could be the next big thing. It also means he could be asking for a healthy raise from the Jets and Kirk Penton of the Winnipeg Sun says it’s time for Jets management to pay up.

He obviously deserves plenty more than than the $900,000 salary, $90,000 signing bonus, the $250,000 bonus he got for 30 goals and any other perks he might have received for his play. Give him a good chunk of money ($3 to $4 million per) for a few years, and by the end of that deal the real identity of Evander Kane will be known.

For what it’s worth, that $3-$4 million range would put him third on the team amongst forwards in cap hit and one of the five or six best-paid players on the team.

The question here, of course, is whether or not he’s worth that kind of financial commitment right now. Given the Jets’ offensive struggles, they may be in a similar situation to what they had with Ondrej Pavelec in that Kane is worth a lot to Winnipeg for what he does for them. If Kane keeps potting 30 goals a year, locking him up for $4 million a season might wind up being a bargain.