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In his own inimitable faashion, Evander Kane is thanking the owners, management, staff and fans of the Buffalo Sabres. Rather than say goodbye and so long from San Jose, Kane recorded a video Thank You note before he left the building in Buffalo.
Kane posted the message on his own personal Twitter page.
Thank you @BuffaloSabres #EK9 pic.twitter.com/iQU9yYqUDI
— Evander Kane (@evanderkane_9) February 26, 2018
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On the media conference call, Kane propped the lotyal fans of the Blue & Gold.
"I really enjoyed my time here in Buffalo," Kane said after the trade was approved by the NHL.
Kane relishes the opportunuty to move to the Western Conference, where the hockey is heavy, fast and aggressive.
"For me, this is a great opportunity. Excitement probably doesn't do it enough justice to how I feel," Kane said on a media conference call after being traded to the San Jose Sharks. "I'm looking forward to have the opportuinty to possibly play in the playoffs and add what I can to that group and hopefully go on a long run."
Kane lamented the losing seasons that have become commonplace for the Sabres.
"On the ice we didn't have the success as a team we envisioned and all wanted to and that was the hardest part. But I was able to create a lot of good friendships outside and inside the organization and those were friendships I'll always have moving forward here. I have great memories of the community work I was able to do and it was great playing in front of the fans in Buffalo."
Kane has relationships inside teh San Jose room and is looking forward to going to war with his new Sharks teammates.
"They've been a team that has had a lot of success, not just the last couple years but dating back 5-10 years," Kane said. "They were in the Cup final a couple years ago (losing in six games to Pittsburgh in 2016) and they have some great players like Logan Couture, guys like Pavelski and Burns. I'm hoping to add to what they already have."
Quotes courtesy Mike Harrington, Buffalo News.
Evander Kane has been traded from the Sabres to the Sharks. (via @TSN_Sports) pic.twitter.com/ZXqF3GPYPm
— SWM (@sportswm) February 26, 2018
Evander Kane has been traded to the San Jose Sharks.
Stick tap to Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill for sticking to his guns. He waited, waited, waited, then got himself three premium pieces for the talented power forward.
I like this deal. A lot. I love the reunion of Danny O'Regan with his Boston University Terriers line mates Jack Eichel and Evan Rodrigues.
O'Regan has scored 30 goals and 83 points in 94 games played in the American Hockey League.
If you are going to trade away one of Jack Eichel's good friends in Evander Kane, it's wise to replace him with another one of the franchise player's good friends.
Elliotte Friedman confirms the trade as a pure rental.
Kane played 196 games with the Sabres. he scored 68 goals and 50 assists for 118 points. Of his 68 goals scored in Buffalo, 56 were scored at even strength, 8 PPG, 4 SHG, and 10 were game winners. Kane also collected 261 PIMs in three seasons in Buffalo.
Kane ranked third on the Sabres in points, second in goals, fifth in assists, and led the team in penalty minutes and shorthanded goals (3). His 120 hits led all Buffalo forwards and ranked second overall on the team, while he ranked third amongst team forwards in average ice time per game (19:23 TOI). Kane ranks tied for fifth in the NHL in shots on goal and is one of just six skaters in the NHL to have scored 20 or more goals and posted 50 or more penalty minutes.
In 557 career NHL games with Atlanta/Winnipeg and Buffalo, Kane has posted 340 points (177 goals, 163 assists) and 646 PIMs. Kane has reached the 20-goal plateau four times in his career, including each of the past three seasons in Buffalo, and posted career highs in goals (30), assists (27) and points (57) in 2011-12 with Winnipeg, becoming the NHL's youngest 30-goal scorer that season (20 years old).
I’ve told you about San Jose’s interest in Kane. I like Kane adding even strength scoring to a Sharks lineup that desperately need it.
Kane has scored 20 goals and 20 assists in 61 games this season.
Sabres fans who piss and moan about the trade compansation should pump their breaks and relax. The Sharks are a perennial powerhouse team and is always dangerous in the playoffs. As presently constructed, the Sharks are going to be a hard team for teams to play against. The addition of Kane is going to give the Sharks more scoring, swagger and skill. If the Sharks make it to the Western Conference Finals this season, why would Kane want to bail out and sign elsewhere?
I've been telling you for months that Sharks GM Doug Wilson has been eye-balling Kane. The Sharks have had problems scoring at even strength in the wake of the Patrick Marleau signing with Toronto last July.
Today, the Sharks are ranked 24th overall in even strength goal scoring in the NHL. If they intend to make the playoffs and take a long ride in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Sharks need to score more goals at even strength while maintaining their sixth overall with the man advantage.
Kane is going to kill it while playing with Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, Joonas Donskoi, Joe Thornton, Chris Tierney, Brent Burns and Marc Eduoard Vlasic. Martin Jones is one helluva goalie. The Sharks now have all the makings of a Stanley Cup contender.
Kane and Pavelski played together in the KHL during the 2013 NHL lockout.
The Sabres will receive a 2019 conditional first round draft choice.
Oh, wait. The haters said Kane's trade value was in the toilet. They also said that Botterill will never get a first rounder in the deal for Kane. Pump the brakes, Sparky.
Here are the conditions of the deal:
If the Sharks re-sign Kane as an unrestricted free agent on July 1 OR if the Sharks win the Stanley Cup, it will be a first round pick. However, if Kane skates to another team as UFA, the pick will become a 2019 a second-round pick.
Regarding the conditional fourth round pick, Sabres GM Jason Botterill said is a 2019 fourth-round pick that San Jose could push off a year to a 2020 third-round draft choice.
Sharks GM Doug Wilson and team captain Joe Pavelski are happy to have Kane on the San Jose roster for the stretch drive and playoffs.
@SanJoseSharks GM Doug Wilson appears to be motivated, interested in keeping Evander Kane long term pic.twitter.com/1H4S7lo21K
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) February 26, 2018
Sabres fans must cheer for Kane to lead Sharks to the playoffs and for him to re-sign there as a free agent come July 1. I like his chances of doing both.
A Vancouver native, Kane grew up on the Pacific Ocean. Playing in northern California will put him closer to home in a town that is very similar to his hometown.
From a lifestyle standpoint, playing in San Jose will allow Kane the opportunity to play in front of passionate NHL fans while affording him the luxuries that he covets. Northern California is home to the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. Kane will like the buzz that comes from playing if front of passionate sports fans in a very aggressive, fast, physical Pacific Division.
Kane is an outdoorsman and a huge NBA fan. Now he will be able to play in a major spotrts market. To be playing in a high profile sports town that also features A-List stars like Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
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