Rumor: LA Kings interested in Evander Kane

[qwksndmonster]

Maybe he'll stay with the Sabres cause we'll offer him a fair, high value contract? He's our top goal scorer, and looks like he'd be a great asset in the playoffs. Sign the guy.

 

Are we really a team in position to say "no thanks" to someone of his talent level, when we so lack goal scoring? Sacrificing Kane to manage an as-of-yet non-existent cap issue is cart before the horse to me.

Yeah maybe. I'm not making that bet.

 

I'm betting on one or more of Fasching, Baptiste, Bailey, Nylander making up for Kane's absence. Our D needs much more help right now. Kane is our most attractive trade chip right now.

[nfreeman]

Running into trouble with the cops and being on a losing team. This is his big chance to not only contol his own destiny, but to make the money that's going to have him set for the rest of his life.

 

Why would he stay with the Sabres?

 

Maybe he hits it off with Botteril and loves the new coach. I'd rather take last season as the blessing it was, Kane regaining his trade value.

 

Well, a lot of pro athletes have gotten into legal scrapes and not left town because of them, especially when the charges were dropped. 

 

Also, a lot of free agents have signed extensions with losing teams when the Benjamins and the respect and appreciation were sufficient.

 

 

Maybe he'll stay with the Sabres cause we'll offer him a fair, high value contract? He's our top goal scorer, and looks like he'd be a great asset in the playoffs. Sign the guy.

 

Are we really a team in position to say "no thanks" to someone of his talent level, when we so lack goal scoring? Sacrificing Kane to manage an as-of-yet non-existent cap issue is cart before the horse to me.

 

Yes indeedly.

 

Yeah maybe. I'm not making that bet.

 

I'm betting on one or more of Fasching, Baptiste, Bailey, Nylander making up for Kane's absence. Our D needs much more help right now. Kane is our most attractive trade chip right now.

 

This is pretty optimistic.  It's not unlikely though that Kane will be traded and these candidates will get their shots at his slot.

[qwksndmonster]

Well, a lot of pro athletes have gotten into legal scrapes and not left town because of them, especially when the charges were dropped.

 

Also, a lot of free agents have signed extensions with losing teams when the Benjamins and the respect and appreciation were sufficient.

 

Yeah, sure. In a vacuum, guys stay with teams all the time. But look at Kane's career so far:

 

He started in Atlanta and played on a losing team. Then the team moved to Winnipeg and they kept losing. Then the sweatsuit thing happened and Kane got traded to us. He ran into trouble with the law and ownership/gmtm didn't seem very keen on him since then.

 

In what universe does Kane not take advantage of picking where he gets to live and what team he plays for? I don't buy it.

Edited June 10, 2017 by qwksndmonster

[dudacek]

While I certainly see nothing wrong in him chasing the big payday, I'm curious as to what it is about his time here that makes you think he's inclined that way.

Separately, Darren Dreger was on the Instigators this morning and is now well away from saying he knows of anything specific or imminent regarding a Kane trade.

Did Dreger ever report there was something imminent?

Friedman was the one who said there was mutual interest between the Kings and the Sabres and McKenzie the one who said he expects a trade.

[nfreeman]

Yeah, sure. In a vacuum, guys stay with teams all the time. But look at Kane's career so far:

 

He started in Atlanta and played on a losing team. Then the team moved to Winnipeg and they kept losing. Then the sweatsuit thing happened and Kane got traded to us. He ran into trouble with the law and ownership/gmtm didn't seem very keen on him since then.

 

In what universe does Kane not take advantage of picking where he gets to live and what team he plays for? I don't buy it.

 

A suitable universe might be the one in which the Sabres make him the best contract offer.

 

Did Dreger ever report there was something imminent?

Friedman was the one who said there was mutual interest between the Kings and the Sabres and McKenzie the one who said he expects a trade.

 

 

You're probably right -- I'm not sure what Dreger previously reported.

 

Still, I would think that following the other guys' reports, Dreger would check with his sources, who must have said they didn't know of anything that was close.  Since Friedman (IMHO) was backpedaling yesterday, I'm guessing that nothing is going to happen anytime soon.  I would also guess that there were brief talks between JBott and the Kings, and the Kings weren't willing to pony up a good enough defenseman.

 

Separately but relatedly, I think one underappreciated (including by me) aspect of the Kane situation is the impact of the new coach's opinions on the Sabres' decision about Kane.  If JBott thinks he wants Housley or Tocchet (or either), and they both sit in his office and tell him they badly want Kane, that has to affect his thinking on how much $$ to offer Kane. 

 

And I'd say it's probably 66.67% likely that Kane has not told the Sabres that he wants to go to FA.  He may feel that way, but it seems like it would not be in his interests to tell the team that at this point.

[Huckleberry]

I wouldn't mind getting LA's 1st rounder this year though, want us to draft Makar/Liljegren with ours.

Maybe take a gamble at Brannstrom with LA's pick. 

[nucci]

I don't know how you can look at his time in Buffalo and not assume he's gonna chase that big pay day. That's what I'd do.

it's what every player wants

[LGR4GM]

I wouldn't mind getting LA's 1st rounder this year though, want us to draft Makar/Liljegren with ours.

Maybe take a gamble at Brannstrom with LA's pick. 

Brannstrom, Foote, Valimaki would all be options most likely at #11. 

[PromoTheRobot]

Yeah maybe. I'm not making that bet.

 

I'm betting on one or more of Fasching, Baptiste, Bailey, Nylander making up for Kane's absence. Our D needs much more help right now. Kane is our most attractive trade chip right now.

So get a D and lose our top scorer. You're just trading one problem for another.

[LGR4GM]

So get a D and lose our top scorer. You're just trading one problem for another.

Only if you believe Jack Eichel is only a low 20's goal scorer.

[inkman]

Only if you believe Jack Eichel is only a low 20's goal scorer.

And Kane is going to re-sign. Which I think is a long shot.

[qwksndmonster]

So get a D and lose our top scorer. You're just trading one problem for another.

Okay, can we cool it with this top goal scorer stuff? Jack Eichel was injured for a significant chunk of the season. O'Reilly and Okposo are both better offensive players than Kane. Our forwards will also score more once they're not playing Bylsma's system.

 

Kane is a good player. He'd be a nice player to have on our team long term. I think his game is well suited to the war that is playoff hockey.

 

With Jack and Sam's raises coming up and with Okposo/O'Reilly signed long term, not wanting to sign Kane to a huge contract is a legit point of view.

 

So please, please stop smugly saying YOU WANNA GET RID OF OUR LEEEEEAAADING GOAL SCORER? (who outshot his career shooting percentage by a decent clip)

[Scottysabres]

If Kane does move, I'd like it to be to the Ducks.

[Radar]

Okay, can we cool it with this top goal scorer stuff? Jack Eichel was injured for a significant chunk of the season. O'Reilly and Okposo are both better offensive players than Kane. Our forwards will also score more once they're not playing Bylsma's ###### system.

Kane is a good player. He'd be a nice player to have on our team long term. I think his game is well suited to the war that is playoff hockey.

With Jack and Sam's raises coming up and with Okposo/O'Reilly signed long term, not wanting to sign Kane to a huge contract is a legit point of view.

So please, please stop smugly saying YOU WANNA GET RID OF OUR LEEEEEAAADING GOAL SCORER? (who outshot his career shooting percentage by a decent clip)

There is too much truth here to totally ignore plus he, I believe, will no want to sign here particularly before testing free agency. I'm not for giving him away but I'm going to seriously consider offers.

[kas23]

If Kane does move, I'd like it to be to the Ducks.

Me too. I just think if this was going to happen, it would've already done so. I think the Ducks have a plan for how they are going to handle their excess D or they are asking a king's ransom.

[WildCard]

Okay, can we cool it with this top goal scorer stuff? Jack Eichel was injured for a significant chunk of the season. O'Reilly and Okposo are both better offensive players than Kane. Our forwards will also score more once they're not playing Bylsma's ###### system.

 

Kane is a good player. He'd be a nice player to have on our team long term. I think his game is well suited to the war that is playoff hockey.

 

With Jack and Sam's raises coming up and with Okposo/O'Reilly signed long term, not wanting to sign Kane to a huge contract is a legit point of view.

 

So please, please stop smugly saying YOU WANNA GET RID OF OUR LEEEEEAAADING GOAL SCORER? (who outshot his career shooting percentage by a decent clip)

Knew I liked you for some reason

[Thorny]

Okay, can we cool it with this top goal scorer stuff? (1)Jack Eichel was injured for a significant chunk of the season. (2)O'Reilly and Okposo are both better offensive players than Kane. (3)Our forwards will also score more once they're not playing Bylsma's ###### system.

Kane is a good player. He'd be a nice player to have on our team long term. I think his game is well suited to the war that is playoff hockey.

(4)With Jack and Sam's raises coming up and with Okposo/O'Reilly signed long term,(5)not wanting to sign Kane to a huge contract is a legit point of view.

So please, please stop smugly saying YOU WANNA GET RID OF OUR LEEEEEAAADING GOAL SCORER? (who outshot his career shooting percentage by a decent clip)

1 - So, maybe our second best goal scorer? Oh by all means, ditch the bum, then.

2 - But not better goal-scorers

3 - Wouldn't that also hold true for Kane, then?

4 - Are we sure Okposo is going to be good to go?

5 - Definitely true, but the other side is valid as well.

[qwksndmonster]

1 - So, maybe our second best goal scorer? Oh by all means, ditch the bum, then.

2 - But not better goal-scorers

3 - Wouldn't that also hold true for Kane, then?

4 - Are we sure Okposo is going to be good to go?

5 - Defibtely true, but the other side is valid as well.

I'm not going to spend my time worrying about Okposo. If he ends up retiring or being out this year, that totally sucks. But I follow sports to have fun so I'm just gonna assume he's fine.

 

And I'm not really debating any on-ice stuff, I'm just pointing out a semantic quirk that I've gotten so sick of reading. Calling Kane our top goal scorer imbues him with an importance that he just doesn't have.

 

I'm gonna start exclusively referring to Kane as "our oft-injured leading goal scorer with 1 year left on his deal."

[Huckleberry]

And Kane is going to re-sign. Which I think is a long shot.

 

I don't know, everything I read about him is saying he likes it in Buffalo.

[Thorny]

I'm not going to spend my time worrying about Okposo. If he ends up retiring or being out this year, that totally sucks. But I follow sports to have fun so I'm just gonna assume he's fine.

And I'm not really debating any on-ice stuff, I'm just pointing out a semantic quirk that I've gotten so sick of reading. Calling Kane our top goal scorer imbues him with an importance that he just doesn't have.

I'm gonna start exclusively referring to Kane as "our oft-injured leading goal scorer with 1 year left on his deal."

Point taken.

[LGR4GM]

Bold prediction. Sam Reinhart scores more goals than Evander Kane this season. 

[I-90 W]

Bold prediction. Sam Reinhart scores more goals than Evander Kane this season.

That is a bold prediction, I think more points is a safer bet. Both have contract years so who knows. They might get all drew stafford on us and play crazy lol.

[Rasmus_]

I wouldn't mind getting LA's 1st rounder this year though, want us to draft Makar/Liljegren with ours.

Maybe take a gamble at Brannstrom with LA's pick. 

 

This would be a great idea :)

[apuszczalowski]

Again, no one is saying get rid of him because of his issues/antics or to dump him for nothing. He is a FA at the end of this season, appears to be the kind of person who will be going to the highest bidder, and is most likely able to bring back the best return in a trade to help the team. It would be much easier and more affordable to trade him for a good defensemen, replacing him through FA, then try and a pick up a good defensemen in FA

[MattPie]

Again, no one is saying get rid of him because of his issues/antics or to dump him for nothing. He is a FA at the end of this season, appears to be the kind of person who will be going to the highest bidder, and is most likely able to bring back the best return in a trade to help the team. It would be much easier and more affordable to trade him for a good defensemen, replacing him through FA, then try and a pick up a good defensemen in FA

I think everyone is arguing about the bolded part, really. Finding physical, 20+ goal forwards in FA is almost as hard as (I might say harder than) finding good FA defensemen, and when you do you're going to pay for it. If he's not going to sign, so be it, but you better work with him to get a contract signed if you can first.

Edited June 13, 2017 by MattPie