San Jose Sharks acquire Evander Kane from Buffalo Sabres
After being linked to him for months, the San Jose Sharks have traded for Buffalo Sabres forward Evander Kane
Ever since the end of the 2016-17 season, the Buffalo Sabres have been open to trading forward Evander Kane. The San Jose Sharks have been linked to him for quite some time. With under an hour left on deadline day, the two sides made a deal.
TSN insider Bob McKenzie was the first to report the trade was close. Meanwhile, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first with the price. The Sharks are giving up a first-round pick, a prospect, and a conditional fourth-round pick. That prospect, by the way, is 24 year old Dan O’Reagan. The first-round pick is conditional as well.
UPDATE (2:34 p.m. ET): Here are the conditions.
Here's the condition of the first-round 2019 pick in the Evander Kane deal: if the Sharks re-sign Kane, it's a first; but if Kane walks into free agency, it's a second-round pick in 2019
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 26, 2018
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While the Sabres didn’t get quite the return they had hoped for, this is right on par with the market. Kane gets Buffalo a very nice return. That first-round pick is going to be a bit lower, if it is one at all. Most likely, it will be a second-round pick.
Sabres general manager Jason Botterill didn’t do well here. This is a trade that perhaps should have happened last offseason. But maybe there just wasn’t much interest in Evander around the league.
Meanwhile, for the Sharks, they needed a goal scorer. Kane is definitely one. He’s a fast, explosive skater who could be a difference maker as the Sharks tried to fight their way into the postseason. Currently, the Sharks are in second place and trying to hold off the Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames, along with the Los Angeles Kings.
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Expect to see Kane on the Sharks top forward line. With Joe Thornton’s contract coming to an end (again), this could be the last ride for San Jose. Props to general manager Doug Wilson for getting something done to help his team. The Sharks should be a tough team to beat in the postseason.