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Evander Kane

Deadline Notes: Plekanec, Green, Gionta, Kane, Lindberg

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While it’s still to early to know, Winnipeg Free Press’ Jeff Hamilton feels that there is a strong indication that the Winnipeg Jets are pushing to acquire Montreal Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec tonight. The 34-year-old veteran was also scratched for tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, although that may just be to ensure he doesn’t get hurt right before the deadline. While there are no details on how close the two teams are, the plan, according to Hamilton, is for the Jets to use Plekanec on the team’s third line alongside Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers, which would give the team a deep lineup. Andrew Copp would move to the team’s fourth line and would join Joel Armia and Adam Lowry.

The Jets were supposedly working hard to acquire Derrick Brassard Friday, but lost out to the Pittsburgh Penguins and were forced to look for another center to fill their needs. While Plekanec is a step down from Brassard, the veteran may get some new life with the Jets, especially if he gets to play with Laine and Ehlers.

  • With the trade deadline less than two days away, the Detroit Red Wings still have their top trade chip remaining on their roster, but the problem is that he’s still hurt. In fact, the top rental defenseman on the market hasn’t played in five games and could miss Sunday’s game as well. While Green as practiced with the team twice now, including Friday, MLive’s Ansar Khan suggests that while there is little doubt that Green will be moved by Monday, the timing of the injury could easily diminish the team’s returns for him. He writes teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning might pause first if they feel he could re-injure himself the moment they acquire him.
  • As mentioned earlier today, there has been some interest in Team USA captain Brian Gionta. However, Pierre LeBrun adds that a couple of East teams have expressed interest in Gionta, including the Boston Bruins. While nothing in imminent, a deal could be made at some point this weekend.
  • The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington writes that the Buffalo Sabres are holding forward Evander Kane out of the lineup tonight. Kane, one of the most anticipated trade candidates join a group of players who have been held out in the last day or two as the team doesn’t want to risk losing a player to injury just before the deadline. “Management thought it was the best decision moving forward and the best decision for Evander,” coach Phil Housley said in his pregame media briefing two hours before faceoff. “… That’s the situation for right now.” No other pending trade candidates were scratched.
  • Tobias Lindberg, who the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights Friday in the Derrick Brassard trade, has been assigned to the AHL, but not to their affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but back to the Chicago Wolves, the affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights, according to Chicago Wolves broadcaster Jason Shaver. The Penguins didn’t want to move him at this point of the season to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but can still recall him at any point during the season.

Trade Deadline Notes: Ward, McDonagh, Oduya, Plekanec

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The San Jose Sharks are playing both buyer and seller at this year’s trade deadline. The Sharks are currently second in the Pacific Division, looking to hold off the Ducks, Kings, and Flames, and are known to be looking for scoring help up front. They have been attached to names like Evander Kane, Rick Nash, and really most high-profile forwards on the market. At the same time, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the team has requested a no-trade list from veteran forward Joel Ward. Ward, 37, is an impending free agent who has fallen out of favor in the San Jose lineup. He has a six-team no-trade list that he can use to slightly reduce the number of possible destinations, should he be traded. Ward has played in only 46 games this season, with just 11 points to show for it, but more importantly, has seen his once-valued penalty kill role diminished, along with his even strength ice time. Ward can still be an asset for many teams as both an experienced locker room presence and reliable two-way depth option, but he’s worth much more to another contender than the defense-conscious Sharks. A trade is far from a certainty, but is a definite possibility now that a list has been officially requested.

  • An unexpected suitor has entered the bidding for New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh. Sportsnet’s John Shannon believes that the Florida Panthers have interest in the top-pairing defenseman. Going up against divisional foes like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins, as well as many others, the Panthers will try make the top offer for McDonagh, as the Rangers continue their fire sale. The Panthers are still fighting for a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference this season, and McDonagh would be a major help with that, but more likely the motivation for the Cats is to bring in McDonagh for next season and with the intent of extending him. PHR recently identified a top-four defenseman as a need for the Panthers going forward, and McDonagh would round out quite the top four in Florida with Aaron Ekblad, Keith Yandle, and Michael Matheson.
  • Count both Johnny Oduya and Tomas Plekanec as the latest big-name players being held out of lineups tonight prior to the deadline. Dreger says that Oduya’s benching is just precautionary, but that the Ottawa Senators are working on trading the veteran defenseman as part of their own fire sale. The news of Plekanec, from TVA’s Renaud Lavoie, comes after a report yesterday that the Montreal Canadiens have received an influx of interest in the veteran center over the last 24 hours. Both players are expected to be moved in the coming days.

Deadline Notes: Kane, Grabner, Nash

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The latest edition of Insider Trading on TSN was enlightening, as panel members Darren Dreger, Pierre LeBrun and Bob McKenzie discussed several of the top trade deadline names. In addition to the “king’s ransom” for Erik Karlsson that we wrote about earlier today, Evander Kane was one of the topics for the first time in a while.

Dreger believes that the Buffalo Sabres already have a few offers for Kane, but that those include roster players and the team is more interested in picks and prospects. Kane is mired in a terrible scoring slump just at the wrong time for Buffalo, who will hope that the fact he has just four points in his last 20 games won’t hurt their return too much when he’s eventually moved.

  • LeBrun was very clear when speaking about Rick Nash, saying that he “will get moved before Monday.” Nash is alongside Kane as the top rental options on the market, and LeBrun lists Nashville, Dallas, Columbus, Winnipeg and Boston as teams that have shown some interest in the veteran winger. The Jets might not be on Nash’s approved trade list, meaning the two sides would need to agree to waive his no-trade for any move to Winnipeg.
  • Nash’s teammate Michael Grabner has many more suitors according to McKenzie, who says there could be as more than 10-12 teams interested in the speedster. Grabner has 25 goals on the season and can play up and down a lineup, but doesn’t create much for those around him. McKenzie reports that a second-round pick and “something” is believed to be the asking price, which could be more palatable to contenders than the prices for Nash or Kane.

Trade Candidate: Evander Kane

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As the trade deadline continues to creep closer and closer, we continue our profiles of players that have a good chance to be dealt by February 26th.

Sabres winger Evander Kane is no stranger to the spotlight both on and off the ice.  He also has certainly become accustomed to being the focal point of trade speculation as his name has been in the rumor mill all season long.  At some point over the next week, it’s highly expected that he will be dealt.

Contract

Kane is in the final season of a six-year, $31.5MM contract he signed back with Winnipeg in 2012.  He is receiving a $6MM salary with his $5.25MM cap charge and he will be an unrestricted free agent in July.

2017-18

Evander KaneEven though the Sabres struggled out of the gate, Kane got off to a fantastic start offensively and was hovering around the point-per-game mark through the first 35 games of the season (33 points).  Accordingly, GM Jason Botterill set a very high asking price, one that involved a first-round pick, a conditional selection, plus a top prospect.  Based on how he was playing, it was certainly a justifiable ask as well.

Unfortunately for Buffalo, Kane hasn’t been able to sustain that level of play over the past two months.  In fact, he hasn’t even come close.  In the 25 games since then, he has just six points (4-2-6) despite still averaging over 18 minutes per night of ice time.  Now, instead of being a player providing top-line production, he has produced as a bottom-six winger despite still seeing top-line minutes.  That certainly has hurt Botterill’s leverage and has undoubtedly played a role in Kane sticking with the Sabres to this point in time.

Season Stats

60 GP, 19 goals, 20 assists, 39 points, -14 rating, 57 PIMS, 224 shots, 19:22 ATOI, 50.7 CF%

Potential Suitors

In the East, Pittsburgh has expressed an interest previously but their salary cap constraints would require them to free up a considerable amount of space before they could make a deal even if Buffalo retains on his cap hit.  In terms of a fit though, he would fit in well in a secondary role which may be the best role for him to play.  The Bruins are known to be looking for help on the wing although the acquisition cost for Kane may be higher than they’re willing to pay.  The Islanders make some sense in terms of where he could fit in but GM Garth Snow has ruled out trading top picks and prospects for rentals which takes them out of the equation.  Columbus is looking for scoring help and while he’s not a center – the position they’d prefer to add to, they’ll take help putting the puck in the net where they could get it.

Out West, his former team in Winnipeg is looking for a scoring winger but there’s no way a reunion is happening with Kane.  Nashville is also on the lookout for help on the wing but Rick Nash is believed to be their preferred target at the moment.  If a deal can’t be reached there, they could get involved in talks for Kane.  The Blues could benefit from another top-six winger but like Pittsburgh, salary cap constraints would make a deal particularly challenging as things currently stand.  If Anaheim decides to be buyers at the deadline, they would be an intriguing fit for Kane and have some prospect capital to deal from on the back end, a position that Buffalo needs help with.  However, the Ducks could turn around and be sellers depending on how these next few games go.

Likelihood Of A Trade

Considering there have been no talks about a contract extension, the odds here have to be quite high that Kane will eventually be moved.  Botterill has indicated previously that Buffalo will be willing to retain to help facilitate a trade but they may have to drop their asking price before a deal actually happens.  That’s something that the Sabres won’t want to do until they have to so this is a case that could drag out right until deadline day on the 26th.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Interest In Rick Nash From Several Teams

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TSN’s Frank Seravalli released an update to his Trade Bait board, and Rick Nash has taken over the top spot. Evander Kane had been there for the entire season, but with the New York Rangers obvious position as sellers, Nash has become the prize of the trade deadline. Seravalli reports that more than ten teams have spoken to the Rangers about Nash since they published their letter to fans about a rebuild, including Nashville, Dallas, Winnipeg, Boston and San Jose. While obviously a passing interest doesn’t mean a deal is incoming, it’s important to note that Nash’s market doesn’t seem limited as we stand just over a week until the deadline.

The Rangers have other rental options in Michael Grabner, Nick Holden and David Desharnais, but Nash remains the jewel of their pending free agents. Even with his declining offensive numbers, teams likely still see him as a valuable addition to their middle-six that can help on both the powerplay and penalty kill. Nashville has been reported as the leaders in the pursuit, though it is still yet to be seen whether they’ll meet the Rangers high asking price. If the acquiring cost drops in the coming days to a point where the Predators are comfortable, you can bet other teams will jump into the fray with their own offers.

At 33 years old, Nash isn’t the 40-goal man of his youth. With just 27 points on the season he is currently putting up the lowest per-game offensive output of his career, but still has 17 goals and is a positive possession player. Though his cap hit is hefty, the Rangers are likely willing to retain some of it to facilitate a trade, and maximize their return.  Seravalli reports that no team he’s talked to is willing to include a first-round pick in a package for Kane, which could greatly reduce the market for Nash. The two players’ future could be tied together over the next few weeks, as teams try to match acquisitions made by their rivals.

Poll: Who Is The Most Valuable Trade Chip Available?

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The NHL trade deadline is now just over a month away. On February 26th, teams from around the league will definitively lay forth their plan for the rest of the season. Sellers, will send expiring or aging assets off to contenders while trying to build for the future while buyers will happily snatch up players and give them a taste of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

So, who is the most valuable asset out there?

There is obviously a lot of debate over who really is on the market, so if we’re to answer the question above we’ll have to choose from some sort of list. Luckily Frank Seravalli of TSN maintains such a list on his Trade Bait board, a ranking of the top assets based on skill and availability. Right now that list is headed by Evander Kane, as it seems nearly guaranteed that he’ll be moved to a contender before next month’s deadline. After all, the Sabres haven’t even approached him about a potential contract extension.

It also includes some players who haven’t heard there names in the news much, but seem like logical assets that might be available for the right price. Below we’ve listed the top-10 options from TSN’s board, but feel free to add an option in the comments. If you feel as though Erik Karlsson or John Tavares are truly on the market, vote for the “other” option and make sure you explain why. You can also leave a comment if you don’t think one of the players listed is actually available.

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Latest On Buffalo Trade Rumors

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It’s clear that Evander Kane will be traded by the Buffalo Sabres before the February 26th deadline, but where exactly he will end up and how much he will cost are still very much up in the air. Today, Darren Dreger of TSN tweeted that interest is “heating up” but that the team still could wait, while Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic chimed in calling it a “good ol’ poker game” and explaining that the current asking price is too much for teams to give up.

Sam ReinhartWhile all eyes are stuck to Kane to see where he’ll end up, it’s the second half of Dreger’s tweet that may be more interesting. The idea that Sam Reinhart won’t be dealt in the next two months isn’t particularly newsworthy, but the fact that the insider needed to include it is. Reinhart is in the midst of his worst season as a professional, with just 15 points through 45 games and lacking the confidence he showed early in his career. But at just 22-years old you’d think he would be a building block, not a piece of trade bait for the rebuilding Sabres.

Selected second-overall in 2014, Reinhart hasn’t made the same immediate impact that Leon Draisaitl (3rd), William Nylander (8th) or Nikolaj Ehlers (9th) have, but still has plenty of time to grow into the formidable two-way center many believed he would be. It’s interesting then that he’d be thought of as anything other than an untouchable for Buffalo, as they try to find a path to success under new GM Jason Botterill.

Some of that might come from the fact that Reinhart is now entering his restricted free agent years, and will need a new contract this summer. While it’s not clear where exactly negotiations lie between the two sides, if he is available after the season there won’t be a shortage of teams willing to take the risk. Remember, Reinhart did score 23 goals and 42 points as a rookie in 2015-16, numbers that would be excellent for any 20-year old that didn’t come with top draft status heaped upon them. If the Sabres believe a change of scenery is best, or don’t feel the two sides can come to an amiable contract solution, you can bet Botterill will be looking for another huge package of assets in return.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

2018 Midseason UFA Power Rankings: 1-10

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With the halfway point of the season now behind us and the trade deadline fast approaching, it’s time to take a preliminary look at the UFA Class of 2018.  Here is the first half of our top-20 rankings, based on votes from writers Gavin Lee, Brian La Rose, Nate Brown, Zach Leach and Holger Stolzenberg. We ran numbers 11-20 yesterday, and will release an honorable mention group tomorrow.

1. John Tavares, C, New York Islanders — There was never any doubt that Tavares would hold the top spot on this list, and he was ranked #1 on all five ballots. The superstar Islanders center will only be 27 on July 1st, and could challenge Connor McDavid for the largest cap hit in the league if a bidding war starts over his services. Even with all of his career success, Tavares may have not experienced a season quite like this one, as he is currently tied for second in league scoring with 54 points in 46 games. There is very little negative that can be said about him, and teams could legitimately change their franchise direction by landing the biggest fish on the market.

2. John Carlson, D, Washington Capitals — Though it’s a steep drop off after Tavares, Carlson is an elite free agent in his own right. It’s rare that a defender of his caliber hits the open market, and the fact that he only just turned 28 makes him a target for 31 teams in the NHL. Logging more than 26 minutes a night this season on a depleted Washington blueline, Carlson trails only John Klingberg in terms of scoring from defensemen with 35 points through 45 games. Though it’ll be a tough case to make at the end of the season, Carlson should get some Norris consideration and could land a huge long-term contract.

3. Evander Kane, F, Buffalo Sabres — Everyone’s favorite trade rumor is headed to free agency after the season, as the Sabres haven’t even approached him to discuss an extension. Unless he’s so enamored with his next team and signs a contract right away, he should be able to pick a landing spot from a dozen or more suitors in the offseason. How many years teams will offer him has been disputed at times, but at just 26 he’s one of the youngest free agents to hit the market and should provide several years of prime performance.

4. James van Riemsdyk, F, Toronto Maple Leafs — van Riemsdyk doesn’t carry the puck a ton, and doesn’t often score from far out, but might be the most dangerous scorer in the league within five feet of the net. He’s well on his way to another 30 goal season this year, even while playing the fewest average minutes since he was 21. Expected to ask for something around $36MM over six years, there will be no shortage of teams looking to add him to their powerplay.

5. James Neal, F, Vegas Golden Knights — Before this season, free agency or even the expansion draft, we looked at Neal’s incomparable consistency and how he was headed for a big contract on the open market. He’s never recorded fewer than 21 goals in a season, and already has 18 this year. Obviously a huge part of what the Vegas Golden Knights have done to start their franchise history, they’ll try to retain him on a reasonable deal. If they can’t, he might just end up scoring 20 for his fifth organization in 2018-19.

6. Josh Bailey, F, New York Islanders — It’s not just Tavares that the Islanders have to worry about leaving this summer, but Bailey (and de Haan below) too. He and Anders Lee have formed the perfect wing pair for Tavares this season, and Bailey is going to blow his career-high in points—set only last season—out of the water just at the right time. He’s 28, has 50 points in 42 games and is a lethal powerplay setup man. Who doesn’t want to add that on the open market?

7. Mikael Backlund, C, Calgary Flames — Maybe underrated because of his personality and lack of flash on the ice, Backlund is nevertheless one of the most valuable assets available this summer. Soon to be 29, he’s coming off back-to-back 20-goal seasons and is a legitimate long-term center option. Centers with 50-point upside and responsible defensive ability don’t hit the market that often, and Backlund should be able to cash in because of it.

8. Paul Stastny, C, St. Louis Blues — Speaking of centers, Stastny is in good position to cash in on one last multi-year contract. The 32-year old is still logging big minutes for the St. Louis Blues, and though he may not be the 70-point man of his youth is still an effective weapon at both ends of the rink. A decline is coming, but with 33 points through 47 games this season including 20 even-strength assists, he will still be able to command an audience on the first day of free agency.

9. Calvin de Haan, D, New York Islanders — That’s right, the third Islanders player in the top 10 is de Haan, who has steadily developed into an excellent all-around defenseman. While he doesn’t have the offensive upside of Carlson, his youth—he’ll turn 27 in May—and ability to plug into a top-4 will still have teams knocking down his door. Our writers had him placed everywhere from #7 to #16, but no one disagrees he’ll have plenty of options on the open market.

10. Mike Green, D, Detroit Red Wings — There was a time, nearly a decade ago, when Green was the shining example of an offensive defenseman. Two years in a row, starting in 2009, he finished second in Norris voting behind a more well-rounded player—first to Duncan Keith, then Zdeno Chara—despite point totals in the seventies. In 2008-09 he even recorded 31 goals, the highest total from a defenseman since Kevin Hatcher in 1992-93, and unmatched in the years since. At 32 years old he won’t be putting up 70 point seasons anymore, but is still an excellent puck mover and can quarterback a powerplay. He’ll likely be one of the stars of the trade deadline and free agent day.

No Extension Discussed With Evander Kane

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While all eyes are on the Buffalo Sabres as they hold court over the trade deadline, Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News reports something fans are loath to hear: Evander Kane has never been approached to negotiate a contract extension. Instead, he will almost certainly be traded before the deadline for whatever price GM Jason Botterill can get.

Evander KaneKane, 26, was acquired by the Sabres along with Zach Bogosian in February of 2015 as part of a huge deal that sent Tyler Myers, Drew Stafford and a package of prospects and draft picks back to the Winnipeg Jets. He was a former-30 goal scorer that had hit a rough patch in Winnipeg but could help lead the Sabres back to the playoffs. After all, Kane was the fourth-overall pick in 2009 and possessed a sky-high ceiling in terms of talent.

Though he never did turn into that superstar offensive talent, able to carry a squad on his back, he has been excellent for the team. Since 2015-16, his first year in Buffalo, he ranks 26th in the league in goals-per-game and is on his way to another big season with 16 in his first 44 contests. Those come along with physical play, good possession statistics and an ability to log huge amounts of ice time, and paint a portrait of an excellent NHL player.

Still, off-ice incidents have haunted Kane. As Harrington points out, ownership in Buffalo was appalled when he was arrested for harassment in 2016, and his name has been in the news time and again for incidents on social media. While that has all seemed to tone down recently, as Kane plays through what looks to be his final season in Buffalo, there was a recent eruption at practice involving Justin Falk. Everyone involved played down the incident, explaining it was just competitive spirit, but impressions persist.

The Sabres have been reported to be looking for as many as four pieces for Kane on the trade market, though Darren Dreger of TSN partially reeled in expectations by explaining that some teams may not be willing to pay that much. Whatever they do get, it does seem like Kane’s Buffalo tenure only has a few weeks left at most.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Asking Price On Evander Kane Even Higher

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Last we heard, the Buffalo Sabres were looking for a first-round pick, prospect and conditional draft pick for Evander Kane. Despite his excellent goal-scoring talent, that package wasn’t seen as a fair return by everyone and some believed it might have to come down before the trade deadline. Instead, it seems like it is actually increasing. Darren Dreger was on TSN radio today and revised his previous reporting, saying now that the Sabres are looking for a roster player in addition to the three previously listed assets.

"<strongDreger goes on to speculate about the temptation the Toronto Maple Leafs will feel to move James van Riemsdyk if the Sabres succeed in getting that massive package for Kane, and that temptation wouldn’t be limited to them. The Vegas Golden Knights and New York Islanders might both have to consider moving out their own pending unrestricted free agents—James Neal, David Perron and Josh Bailey among them—if the market gets desperate enough to hand over such important assets.

Still, there are likely some who believe that Kane can be a sort of final puzzle piece to a championship roster. With 36 points in 44 games he’s on pace for the highest total of his career, and is a potential 30-goal man again this season. Slotting that kind of production into a lineup would certainly make the acquiring team that much more formidable down the stretch.

Looking to last season, two high profile rentals were traded at the deadline. Kevin Shattenkirk (with Pheonix Copley) from the St. Louis Blues netted a first-round pick, Zachary Sanford, Brad Malone and conditional picks (which never materialized). Martin Hanzal (with Ryan White and fourth-round pick) cost Minnesota three draft picks including a first-rounder and a minor league forward.

Perhaps more recently is the example of Matt Duchene, who scored the Colorado Avalanche a roster player, two prospects and several picks, though Duchene came with an extra year of control and needed three teams to figure out the deal.

Kane’s case isn’t exactly like any of those three, as he’s an in-his-prime winger that’s capable of contributing in several different ways. But it seems unlikely that the added roster player would be anyone of significance, unless they find a desperate GM around the league. There should be plenty of available scoring threats, and some like Max Pacioretty or Mike Hoffman that come with additional control.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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