Evander Kane Is Now A Buffalo Sabres

The deal is done, and the Winnipeg Jets and Buffalo Sabres have agreed on a deal that will send Evander Kane and Zach Bogosian to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Tyler Myers, Drew Stafford, Joel Armia, and Brendan Lemieux; as well as a first round draft pick in the 2015 NHL Entry draft.

The draft pick is likely going to be the lowest of the two picks the Buffalo Sabres own; either from the St. Louis Blues or New York Islanders.  Neither of those picks will factor into the draft lottery.

This is not a risk free trade.  Look at the career that Drew Stafford has had? Short term risk there for the Winnipeg Jets to hope that he turns it on and helps with a playoff push in the Western Conference.

The Buffalo Sabres will also get unsigned goaltender Jason Kasdorf from the Winnipeg Jets.

I can’t say that I am upset over the prospects we are sending to the Winnipeg Jets.  Even if Armia can overcome what has hampered him in his path to the NHL (injury problems) – and whatever Brendan Lemieux turns out to be – sometimes you have to give up good players to get good players.

The Buffalo Sabres are getting a goaltender prospect.  The Buffalo Sabres best goaltending prospect right now, is Ullmark, who isn’t even in North American yet:

@ScottyMCSS @sabrenoise @JustPlainT @Tonester5 Makarov has been struggling lately, inconsistent. Ullmarkis your top G prospect. NA next yr

— Kris Baker (@SabresProspects) February 11, 2015

The Buffalo Sabres could still trade a goalie this year (Jhonas Enroth or Michal Neuvirth) because they can call up a Rochester American goalie without disrupting what is going on down on the farm.

Zach Bogosian is probably a down grade on defense from Tyler Myers, but could benefit from a change in scenery.  If Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov continue to grow and install themselves on the Buffalo Sabres blue line, Bogosian doesn’t need to be the best defenseman on the Buffalo Sabres.

There are plenty of people that are dancing on snowbanks right now with the fact that Drew Stafford is finally no longer a Buffalo Sabre.  I am even happier that Chris Stewart is still a member of this team and could still resign with the organization long term – something Tim Murray needs to get on right away.

It doesn’t look like the Buffalo Sabres were winners on the day of the actual trade. They gave up a lot to take on a player with an attitude problem.  Two prospects and Tyler Myers are a lot for two returning players.  Drew Stafford was out the door anyways.

I would have liked to see something more come back from the Winnipeg Jets, nothing crazy but I think a second round draft pick, possibly in 2016 would have been enough to make it seem like the Buffalo Sabres didn’t get completely hosed on trade day.

But General Manager Tim Murray weakened his team in the short term, to beef it up over the long term.  Evander Kane won’t play a game this year, but will be in training camp come next season.  I can’t say that the race for the best possible draft spot is all but a lock, but Tim Murray is doing what he can to ensure the Buffalo Sabres have best chance.

Welcome to Buffalo Evander Kane and Zach Bogosian.

Keep it here for more reactions to today’s trade and what more the Buffalo Sabres can do before the trade deadline.