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With Or Without Vesey, EKane A Trade Candidate

July 25, 2016, 6:54 AM ET [26 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
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On July 10, I wrote about a possible Evander Kane trade to Vancouver. In my trade scenario, talented left D Ben Hutton would be the player heading back to Buffalo.

My premise:

Should Tim Murray sign former Harvard standout turned NHL unrestricted free agent Jimmy Vesey, then Kane would be an odd man out in Buffalo.

Tim Murray winning the Vesey lottery would all but seal Kane's fate in Buffalo.


Here's how I saw it three weeks ago. I feel the same way today:


I've been hearing a lot of Evander Kane trade chatter this summer. Despite his off ice matters, Kane's brand is attractive to NHL GMs.

The Kane trade buzz will continue to intensify in the coming weeks. Kane likely could be shown the gate when/if Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray signs, seals and delivers former Harvard star Jimmy Vesey.

Kane plays left wing. Vesey plays left wing.

Adding Vesey would create a serious logjam at left wing for Dan Bylsma.

Vesey immediately slots into Buffalo's top six group where he would join Kane. Or, would he be joining Kane?

Then there is the issue of finding playing time and complimentary line mates for Matt Moulson and Zemgus Girgensons. Moulson has instant chemistry with his former Islanders liney Kyle Okposo and it would be wise to play the best friends together. I would give Moulson a mulligan and a do over for his poor 2015-16 season by throwing him a bone to play with Booker and ROR.

I like the puck possession and down low cycling abilities of this trio. If for some reason Moulson stiffs again then I can always play Girgensons on LW with ROR and Okposo, and move Moulson down to L3. Yes, I see Justin Bailey sticking, staying and earning a roster spot with the Sabres after training camp closes. His size, speed, puck handling, play making and physicality were very impressive in his games in Buffalo last season.

Bailey has been Buffalo's best player at their rookie development camp this week. Bailey is ready to make the jump to the NHL. I can't say exactly when, but Justin Bailey will play in the NHL this season. Mark my words. His unique blend of oower, precision, passion and persistence has been praiseD by Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma. Bailey's speds, toughness, NHL shot and dogged determination make him a she in to play a vital role for the Sabres this season.

Murray and Bylsma would love to add two highly skilled, high character, mobile, hostile, agile wingers to their roster. Bylsma wants his 2016-17 squad to play fast, heavy hockey ala the Stanley Cup winning Pittsburgh Penguins.

Vesey and Bailey are each 6'3" and 210+ pounds. Both men are proficient on both sides of the puck and in all three zones. Each man can finish and create chances for their line mates.

Marcus Foligno would be the L4 LW for Larsson and Gionta.


Here's my thumbnail sketch of the forward lines once Vesey signs with Buffalo:


Moulson-O'Reilly-Okposo
Vesey-Eichel-Reinhart
Deslauriers-Girgensons-Bailey
Foligno-Larsson-Gionta




Evander Kane and Tyler Ennis would be my odd men out in a Vesey to Buffalo scenario.





Last week, Tim Murray signed eighth overall pick Alex Nylander. ANOTHER left winger to his entry level contract. Earlier this month, the Snipe Show made quite a name for himself at Buffalo's prospects development camp. Murray is even considering playing Nylander with Jack Eichel and Samson Reinhart in Buffalo this season.

In a no Vesey scenario, Buffalo's lines could look like this:


Moulson-O'Reilly-Okposo
Nylander-Eichel-Reinhart
Deslauriers-Girgensons-Bailey
Foligno-Larsson-Gionta



On Monday, Vancouver's TSN 1040 suggesting today that a Jimmy Vesey signing by Buffalo might trigger a Kane to Couver trade.

Kane, who turned himself in to Buffalo police on Friday, is facing for misdemeanor charges from an altercation that occurred at a Buffalo disco on June 24.


On July 1, Tim Murray signed big fish UFA Kyle Okposo. At the Okposo introductory presser, Murray was asked about the Kane legal matter. Murray was blood and guts honest. The GM is none too pleased with Kane right now.

"He's going to have to pick and choose his spots when he goes out a lot better than he does, and he's going to have to behave himself a lot better than he has obviously," Murray said.

"Whether he has done these things or not, or he is guilty of these things or not, it's not something I like getting up in the morning and reading about, that's for sure"



Kane found legal trouble in late December.

In March, prosecutors announced after a three-month investigation that Kane would not face a sexual assault charge stemming from a December incident because there was no evidence to support the allegation.

The Sabres have already disciplined Kane once by suspending him for one game in February after the player slept in and missed practice.

Kane spent the previous night attending the NBA All-Star Game in Toronto, which is about a two-hour drive from Buffalo. Pictures of Kane celebrating following the game surfaced on the player's Instagram account before they were deleted


Kane has two years remaining on his current contract at a $5.25M AAV. Kane, 24, plays left wing. Vesey, 23, plays left wing.

Vesey will make his final selection on August 15 after he has spoken with the Boston Bruins and perhaps the Chicago Blackhawks. Vesey becomes UFA on 8/15/16. The Buffalo Sabres own his exclusive negotiating rights after Tim Murray traded for his UFA rights the week of the NHL draft in Buffalo.

Vesey signing or not in Buffalo, Kane will still be a popular candidate to be traded.

Sabres GM Tim Murray has criticized Kane's poor decision making processes in recent weeks.

Kane's on ice play is not a concern for Murray. Kane's office ice act is wearing thin with his boss and presumably the ownership of the Sabres.


With or without Vesey, Kane's days appear to be numbered in Buffalo.



Vancouver and Anaheim are two possible landing spots for Kane.

Weeks ago, Canucks GM Jim Benning proclaimed his desire to add a fiercely competitive scoring forward. Benning failed to recruit scoring star Steven Stamkos to Vancouver. Stamkos avoided the UFA market by re-signing an eight year, $68 million contract extension to remain in Tampa. Benning also whiffed on acquiring gritty, scoring UFA forwards Kyle Okposo (Sabres), David Backes (Bruins), Troy Brouwer (Flames), Andrew Ladd (Brooklynders) and Eric Staal (Wild).

When he lost out on Stamkos, Benning made an aggressive run at signing Vancouver native and UFA Milan Lucic. In the end, Lucic landed in Edmonton for seven years and $42 million. The Canucks never got a sniff of signing Okposo, 28, who inked a 7 year, $42 million deal in Buffalo.

Benning moved quickly when Lucic went to the Oilers and signed then inked UFA winger consolation prize Loui Eriksson, 30, to a six year, $36 million contract.

The Canucks still have an appetite to add another physically dominating scoring forward to their top six forward group that features a lot of skill but not a lot of truculence and pugnacity, two elements that Eriksson knows nothing about.

Earlier this month, Canucks general manager Jim Benning let it be known that he is hunting for big scoring winger to add to his top six forward group.

“If I had a crystal ball, I would say we’d try to add a winger who had some grit and size to him, who can score”.


Sounds like Benning is describing Vancouver Giants alum Evander Kane.


Meanwhile in Southern California, the Ducks have a crowded coop of defenseman.


Two weeks ago, Korbinian Holzer signed a one-year, one-way contract to remain with the Anaheim Ducks. The contract is worth $700,000 AAV.


Earlier this month, the Ducks signed free agents Nate Guenin and Jeff Schultz for depth in Anaheim and San Diego.

The Ducks D corps is bursting at the seams with Kevin Bieksa, Simon Despres, Cam Fowler, Josh Manson, Clayton Stoner, and Sami Vatanen all signed and under contract. Murray is days away from re-signing RFA D Hampus Lindholm, 22, who is in line to earn a six year, $36 million contract extension.

But wait, there's more!

Ducks top D prospects Shea Theodore and Brandon Montour are mortal locks to see featured playing time in Anaheim this season.


What the hell is Bob Murray thinking?


The Ducks have a gaping hole at left wing on the Getzlaf-Perry line.

Rome is burning and Nero Murray is playing his fiddle.

The Holzer signing may just be the precursor to a Cam Fowler trade.

Right now, Bob Murray has just $9.7 million in available salary cap space for 2015-16.

RFAs Lindholm and Rickard Rakell will gobble up the remaining salary cap when they re-sign in the coming days.

Trading Cam Fowler to Buffalo now would create salary cap room for Murray to accommodate Evander Kane's $5.25 million AAV.


Tim Murray would have to absorb a portion of Evander Kane's contract in order to make a Fowler to Buffalo trade work out.




****








My intent was to share with you the top twenty NHL RFAs who have yet to sign contracts with their NHL teams, or, any other NHL team for that matter.

However, the Philadelphia Flyers and Brayden Schenn just reached a four year contract extension. Schenn avoids his arbitration hearing by agreeing to the pact that will pay him a whopping $5.125M AAV for the next four seasons. In my opinion, Schenn is not a $5M AAV player. In 80 games last season, he scored 26 goal sand 33 assists. Nice production to be certain. The Flyers obviously felt that an abritrator would award him an AAV higher than $5.125M so they made the deal before the judge had the opportunity to rule in the player's favor.


So, here are the 19 other yet-to-be-signed RFAs, ranked by their total points in 2015-16:


1. Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames. 78 games played, 30 goals, 48 assists. 78 points.

2. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Lightning. 77 games played., 30 goals, 36 assists. 66 points.

3. Sean Monahan, Calgary Flames. 27 goals, 36 assists. 63 points.

4. Mike Hoffman, Ottawa Senators. 29 goals, 30 assists. 59 points.

5. Tyson Barrie, Colorado Avalanche. 78 games played. 13 goals, 36 assists. 49 points.

6. Rickard Rakell, Anaheim Ducks. 72 games played. 20 goals, 23 assists. 43 points.

7. Rasmus Ristolainen, Buffalo Sabres. 82 games played. 9 goals, 32 assists. 41 points.

8. Tobias Rieder, Arizona Coyotes. 82 games played. 14 goals, 23 assists. 37 points.

9. Michael Stone, Arizona Coyotes. 75 games played. 6 goals, 30 assists. 36 points.

10. Vlad Namestnikov. 80 games played. 14 goals, 21 assists. 35 points.

11. Calle Jarnrok, Nashville Predators. 81 games played. 16 goals, 14 assists. 30 points.

12. Dmitry Orlov, Washington Capitals. 82 games played. 8 goals, 21 assists. 29 points.

13. Val Nichuchkin, Dallas Stars. 82 games played. 16 goals, 16 assists. 32 points.

14. Hampus Lindholm, Anaheim Ducks. 80 games played. 10 goals, 18 assists. 28 points.

15. Ryan Strome, NY Islanders. 71 games played. 8 goals, 20 assists. 28 points.

16. Peter Holland, Toronto Maple Leafs. 65 games played. 9 goals, 18 assists. 27 points.

17. Cody Ceci, Ottawa Senators. 75 games played. 10 goals, 16 assists. 26 points.

18. Matt Dumba, Minnesota Wild. 81 games played. 10 goals, 16 assists. 26 points.

19. Jacob Trouba, Winnipeg Jets. 81 games played. 6 goals, 15 assists 21 points.



***

Congrats are in order for longtime Sabre and Amerk Patrick Kaleta and his wife, Ashley. The newlyweds are expecting their first child.




Congrats, Pat and Ashley!





***

I'm happy for former Buffalo Sabres back stop Jhonas Enroth. Having covered him for his nine years in the Buffalo organization, I know that he loves playing in the Eastern Conference. He also loves the Buffalo-Toronto rivalry.

It's looking good for Jhonas to head east again.

I read a report on Hockeysverige on that concluded that Jhonas will be signing with Toronto.

Enroth, 28, played in 16 regular season games for the Los Angeles Kings last season. Enroth started only 13 games in jis one season in Botox City. Jonathon Quick bogarted the net and that left Jhonas very little playing time to prove himself worthy of a new contact. Enroth made his feelings be known about his reduced role being leading man Quick in LA. At b locker clean out day, Enroth more or less said his goodyes when he said:

“Just being a bigger part of the team is what I would like to do in the summer,” Enroth told the LA Times. “I really thought they were going to play me more.

“If you sign a guy for $1.2 million, you’re not going to play him 13 games, in my opinion.”

The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly close to signing Enroth to a free agent deal for the 2016-17 season. It looks like Enroth will get a one year "show me" deal.

Enroth was a second round pick by the Buffalo Sabres in 2006. Tim Murray traded Enroth to the Dallas Stars at the 2015 NHL trade deadline. Enroth signed a one-off with the Kings last summer.

Enroth grinded out an impressive .922 save percentage and 2.17 GAA and two shutouts in his limited usage in Los Angeles. He had a .937 SV% at 5 on 5 last season. Enroth faced 398 shot attempts and allowed only 31 goals against.

He's scrappy. He competitive and he is fearless.

He is Jhonas.




This Leafs recently dumped former starter Jonathan Bernier. Frederik Andersen and Garret Sparks are in Toronto now. Knowing Enroth the way I do, he will accept the challenge and succeed at winning the back up job. Enroth isn't looking for 50-60 starts a season. He knows hi is role and is content to give it all he has for 25-30 games a season.

The Leafs visit Buffalo on November 3. Maybe Mike Babcock will throw Jhonas as bone and start him against Jack Eichel and the Sabres.

***


Enroth isn't the only veteran NHL goalie to find a new job.

Former Habs, Kings, Oilers, Leafs back up keeper Ben Scrivens is heading to The KHL to play for Dinamo Minsk.

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