Buffalo Sabres: 3 Potential Evander Kane trade destinations

With Matt Duchene finally on the move, we turn our attention to other potential blockbuster trades around the NHL. The moribund Buffalo Sabres have the most intriguing asset among rental forwards in Evander Kane.

The biggest news of the young season dropped on Sunday night. Matt Duchene got traded to the Ottawa Senators in a three-team deal that also saw Kyle Turris head to the Nashville Predators. The Colorado Avalanche finally started their rebuild with a bevy of picks and prospects. TSN immediately put Buffalo Sabres forward Evander Kane at the top of their “Trade Bait” board, and with good reason.

Why a trade makes sense

Kane is just 26 years old, but has plenty of experience. Now in his ninth season, the former 30-goal scorer leads the Sabres in goals and points (nine and 15, respectively). He’s found phenomenal chemistry with linemate Jack Eichel. The pair have been a rare bright spot on an otherwise disappointing Sabres team.

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Unfortunately for Buffalo fans, that’s exactly why Kane needs to be traded. Not unlike their Western rebuilding counterpart, the Arizona Coyotes, the Sabres were supposed to take a step forward this season. An active summer included the acquisition of Jason Pominville and Marco Scandella from Minnesota, but early results are underwhelming. The Sabres are second from the bottom in the East with 12 points in 15 games played. If they can get future pieces for their star wing, that would be a huge help for them.

To say that Kane has a problematic history would be an understatement, but he’s kept his nose clean for the better part of a year now. Combined with his production and expiring contract, he’s a valuable asset.

At the same time, he carries a $5.25 million cap hit, and he’ll look for a raise as his contract expires this summer. That salary is not out of line with his production, but it’s hard to fit into most team’s plans. Given those constraints, we’ve identified three potential trade partners for the Sabres.

Let’s start with a team from the same state: the New York Islanders.

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.

San Jose Sharks

As per usual, the San Jose Sharks are a team in transition.

The Sharks are entering another transition period. Joe Thornton is now 38 and skating on a surgically repaired knee. Patrick Marleau has had some fun in Toronto, but the Sharks rightfully did not match the Maple Leafs hefty contract. They need a jumpstart, and Evander Kane could be the man.

As much as the Puck Prose team endorses Sharks starting goalie Martin Jones, he can’t do it alone. On a recent four game winning streak, Thornton, defenseman Brent Burns, and captain Joe Pavelski combined for just four points (2-2–4) as Jones and backup Aaron Dell carried the load.

This week, they were thrashed 5-1 by the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning as the rudderless offense couldn’t give Jones a night off.

Sharks lack assets, but great fit

This one is wish fulfillment. Evander Kane would be a perfect fit with the San Jose Sharks, but it’s hard to see what package they would put together for him.

At an average age of 28.5 years, the Sharks are among the oldest teams in the NHL. The eventual departure of Thornton will bring that number down, but they are committed to winning now. Long term deals on the blue line and a forward core in their prime mean this team has its sights set on playing in June.

Evander Kane would not put the Sharks over the top, but he would expand the window. He brings down the Sharks average age, and plugs into a top six with more questions than answers after Marleau’s departure. With Thornton’s contract off the books next year, they can easily fit an extension under the cap.

Kane slots into a top six that relies on Thomas Hertl and Joonas Donskoi along the left side. He fits a post-Thornton era power play that would see Logan Couture slide into center alongside Pavelski on the right wing. The only reason this trade doesn’t work is that the Sharks and their bottom-tier farm system would struggle to put the pieces together.

Their best tradable NHL asset is winger Mikel Boedker. Signed for two more years at a $4 million AAV, he’s from the elite scorer Kane is, but still can skate big minutes for the Sabres. The Sharks are without second and third round picks in 2018, and need to build a package around Boedker or another NHL forward to entice Buffalo.

What do you think, Puck Prose readers? Am we reaching with the Sharks? Should the Islanders stay the course? Are we missing an obvious trade partner? Let us know in the comments.