Rumors continue to link Patrick Kane to the Buffalo Sabres
NHL Rumors jumped on board the Patrick Kane to the Buffalo Sabres bandwagon, but only as a discussion and not necessarily as a trade possibility.
While it would make a cool story for Patrick Kane to come in and finish his career with the Buffalo Sabres, NHL Rumors pretty much stated the team will not make such a move. And while I’ll get behind Kevyn Adams (eventually) if he did for some reason pull off the trade, it’s the right call not to try and trade for Kane if he and others with no-movement causes decide to wave them.
NHL Rumors reported a transcript regarding the possibility of the Blackhawks moving Kane before they specifically mentioned the Sabres as a possible destination. In case you are new to the Kane Saga, the reason so many in NHL spheres link Kane to the Sabres is because Buffalo is his hometown.
So while rumors like these swirl every time a player may walk in free agency or get moved via trade, there is little possibility of them actually occurring. Anyway, now that we got the exposition out of the way, let’s break down Elliotte Friedman’s take when he discussed Kane on the NHL Network.
What did the NHL Network say about the idea of the Blackhawks moving Patrick Kane specifically to the Buffalo Sabres?
Friedman noted that teams were inquiring about Kane as early as last season’s trade deadline. He specifically mentioned the Colorado Avalanche and the New York Rangers. Of course, the Sabres would not have been in this discussion since they were practically eliminated from the playoffs at the time.
He further noted that regarding the offseason, the Blackhawks have already made it clear they are interested in a fire sale regarding players with no movement clauses. This means that, if the Sabres were to trade for a Blackhawk, they could have a better chance bringing back Jake McCabe as that veteran defenseman general manager Kevyn Adams is talking about, or even pull off a blockbuster for Alex DeBrincat.
Friedman also referred to what Kane said last year about his future in Chicago, specifically stating he did not want to leave the Windy City. This implies that, even if the Blackhawks are not going to be a good team next season, that Kane doesn’t mind sticking around.
What will Chicago do?
The NHL offseason always comes with a dark cloud of uncertainty. Teams can say they will do one thing, then end up doing something completely different. But from what we know, and from Friedman’s statements, here is the most likely outcome: The Blackhawks will host their fire sale but they will retain Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Seth Jones.
So while Kane will always have his backers among the Buffalo Sabres faithful, the more likely scenario is that Kane leaves Chicago next season and signs elsewhere. Will Buffalo be on his short list if this were to happen? Absolutely. But the question would also be: Are the Sabres willing to pay for his services? With so many upstart cornerstones, the answer is: Probably not.
Friedman finally stated that the only way Kane would realistically leave in the future would be if he said the following:
“You know what, this is better if I go somewhere else.” – Elliotte Friedman, via Hockey Rumors, referring to Patrick Kane.
Translation: Don’t expect Patrick Kane to be in a Sabres uniform via a trade this season. But this does not mean the Sabres won’t sign him if he becomes a UFA.
Will Patrick Kane ever join the Sabres?
Personally, I think Kane has an outside chance of joining the Buffalo Sabres, but I don’t expect it to happen any time soon. My guess is that his best bet to join would be during a farewell tour in the final season or two of his career.
But for Kane to don the blue and gold, he would need to be okay with a smaller contract. And odds are, he won’t be the player he was in Chicago, so it would be tough to see him on the top lines.
Yeah, it would make for a good story to see Kane win a Stanley Cup with Buffalo. And the way this team is headed, that is a definite possibility two, three, four seasons from today. So if the circumstances are right, you will see Kane playing for the Sabres. But he will always be remembered as a cornerstone for the Blackhawks.
In a recent article, I outlined a potential trade proposal for Kane. But that proposal would get rid of two RFAs (Olofsson, Bryson), a first-round pick in 2023, and two prospects whose likelihood of signing is growing slimmer by the day. While I don’t expect such a trade to occur, it’s still fun to speculate.
light. Related Story. 3 blockbuster trade proposals with Chicago
Overall, don’t expect a trade for Kane this season. And don’t expect the Sabres to bring him in unless they are in Cup contention and Kane is okay with coming in at a reduced rate. The latter is assuming he is past his prime.
Article source: NHL Rumors: Will Patrick Kane be Back in Chicago? Will Buffalo be Interested in Him?