Evander Kane keeps focused on game
Sabres forward shrugs off trade rumours and dismisses various off-ice controversies as ‘old news’
Even Evander Kane can have a chuckle about Evander Kane trade rumours.
“My name seems to create a buzz with some reporters and radio stations. I wonder if I have some thankyou cards coming,” the Buffalo Sabres left winger said Friday in a tone that was certainly more playful than accusatory.
The 25-year-old had reason to be in good spirits, since he was getting together with old teammates for a golf tournament at Tsawwassen Springs as part of the Vancouver Giants’ 2007 Memorial Cup championship reunion.
Whether he’ll have a batch of new teammates sometime soon remains to be seen. There’s been speculation that the Sabres are looking at moving the Vancouver native, both because he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer and because of off-ice issues, most notably charges of misdemeanour trespass and separate noncriminal violations of disorderly conduct and harassment stemming from encounters with two women and a bouncer at a Buffalo bar in June 2016.
Those charges, as part of a plea agreement reached in October, were dismissed in May as a result of Kane avoiding legal troubles for six months.
The Vancouver Canucks and the Los Angeles Kings are among the teams that have been mentioned a possible suitors for Kane, who had 28 goals and 113 penalty minutes in 70 regular season games with the Sabres last season.
He’s in the final season of a six-year deal that has him at a cap hit of $5.25 million.
“Do I worry about the rumours? No. The funny part about rumours is that if you don’t know something is going on, then nobody else does,” said the 6-foot-2, 211-pound Kane. “I have an agent (Don Meehan) who is knowledgeable and tapped in. He gives me updates when I need updates. I’d like to think I’m well informed when I need to be.”
A massive contract is likely coming for Kane, be with it Sabres, a team that trades for him or a club he jumps to next summer as a free agent.
He maintains that his play is trending upward. He suffered broken ribs in the Sabres’ season opener last fall and didn’t score a goal in his first 12 contests. His 28 goals all came after Dec. 1, and only eight players potted more than that in that time frame, and included in that group were the likes of Brad Marchand, Auston Matthews, Vladimir Tarasenko and Sidney Crosby.
“I’m just going to continue to let my play on the ice do all the negotiating and talking and answering for me.” — EVANDER KANE BUFFALO SABRES FORWARD
“I came back too early from the rib injury, but it was because I was hungry to play and wanted to play,” said Kane, who has battled various injuries since his 30-goal season in 2011-12 with the Winnipeg Jets.
“It took me a little while to get back into the swing of things. In those final 58 games, I thought I showed consistency offensively.”
He states steadfastly he is keen on returning to Buffalo. That’s obviously the smart thing for him to say.
It’s probably the only thing he can say.
You can argue, though, it’s completely logical, since the Sabres are a good fit for him, with a forward core group featuring Jack Eichel, Ryan O’Reilly and Sam Reinhart. And you’d think that Buffalo will play uptempo and offensively this coming season, what with Phil Housley being named head coach this week.
The Sabres have a new general manager as well in Jason Botterill.
“I’m getting prepared to start another NHL season. Hopefully it’s in Buffalo,” he said.
As for the negative press he receives for past off-ice issues — including the money pushup photo in 2012 and his fallout with the Jets in 2015 — he says at times he feels like it’s “old news.” He maintains that his focus is for his play to be the main story.
“I thought I did a pretty good job of that last season,” Kane said. “I’m just going to continue to let my play on the ice do all the negotiating and talking and answering for me.
“When it comes to me as a player, I’m always 100 per cent. I always put my best foot forward, no matter how I am feeling, no matter what type of injuries I have going on.
“I always try to play to the best of my ability and always try to be a factor, whether that’s scoring or being physical or blocking shots. I want to help my team win and I think I’ve proven that over the course of my career.”