Buffalo Sabres: 3 Potential Evander Kane trade destinations

New York Islanders

The highest profile trade rumors this side of Matt Duchene over the last few years have involved New York Islanders captain John Tavares.

The 27-year old center is regularly described as a loyal servant ready to settle down with one team. He’s just not sure if the Islanders – subject to decades of arena and relocation rumors – are that team.

Tavares currently makes $5.5 million per year against the cap, and his contract expires this summer. That’s not an outrageous amount of money for a player of his caliber. Tavares is a four-time All-Star who can play in any situation the Sabres would need.

Even better for Buffalo, he would provide a one-two punch with Jack Eichel. Eichel may forever be known as the man picked after Connor McDavid, but the second overall pick in 2015 is an elite center in his own right. A one-for-one trade would allow Buffalo to allocate resources throughout their first two lines rather than running out a top-heavy first line. Of course, a trade would likely have to involve both parties agreeing to long-term extensions. And there would have to be a ton of additional pieces heading to the Islanders as well.

Tavares isn’t the only piece in play here

The trade options don’t stop at Tavares.

While a heads up trade sounds neat and exciting, the Islanders are at a crossroads. General Manager Garth Snow has helmed the team for over a decade, and the organization has never quite taken the step forward toward contender.

He’s made seemingly bizarre moves like trading Travis Harmonic to the Calgary Flames for draft picks while trying to retain a franchise center entering his prime. He also committed an absurd amount of money to The Best Fourth Line in Hockey.™

The Islanders possess six draft picks over the first two rounds of the 2018 and 2019 drafts. Depending on what the Sabres are willing to accept, this is an opportunity for Snow to package some of those trade assets and shed absurd contracts like Cal Clutterbuck’s $3.5 million AAV. The Islanders don’t have the cap space to absorb Kane’s current deal (or an extension) outright, and that’s one way to open it up.