All summer long, I stated why the Buffalo Sabres should NOT trade for Patrick Kane. But there is one situation where they would.
The Hockey News reported the Patrick Kane trade rumors will not die down. And since he is from the Queen City, the Buffalo Sabres are obvious suitors to land Kane. But with the team still incredibly young outside of a few outliers like our captain, the odds of Buffalo landing Kane are between slim and none.
There is one scenario, however, where I can see them trading for Kane. Further, this scenario would entail Kane wanting to land with his hometown team in the middle of the 2023-24 season, and it would involve the Sabres finding themselves in contention by the trade deadline.
Patrick Kane will end up with a contending Buffalo Sabres team
If the Sabres find themselves in contention in 2023-24, Kane’s current team suffering, AND if the Buffalo Bills win the Super Bowl, Patrick Kane will come to Buffalo. Okay, for starters, what does the the Bills winning the Super Bowl have anything to do with this?
A contending Sabres team that just saw their cousins in Orchard Park hoist the Lombardi Trophy would, if they can help it, position themselves to end their long playoff drought and compete for a Cup. This is assuming they don’t embark on a Cinderella run in 2022-23.
This scenario would involve Kane signing a deal with a team projected to contend in 2023-24. After a rough start to the season, a frustrated Kane would want out of town, and the Sabres, for the first time in forever, are in serious contention in February 2024.
Because they could still have the cap space to pull this one off, look for the Sabres to send a few prospects to the mystery team that probably won’t be the Chicago Blackhawks. You could also see them sending perhaps one of those defensemen in the rotation, maybe a forward, and definitely some early draft picks.
At this point, the Sabres would obviously no longer need between four and five picks in the first two rounds, given their already-rich prospect pool. They would be in contention, with several young players locked up for long-term deals, and Kane would simply be the missing puzzle piece in the quest for the 2024 Stanley Cup.
As for the salary? At 35, I wouldn’t be too worried about what the Sabres would owe Kane since it’s likely he won’t demand as much cash in his next contract. He will, however, demand to wind up on a team contending for a Cup, or at least a team where his presence could help them win a Cup.
If the Sabres hit their stride this season, I wouldn’t expect it just yet. But after a solid 2022-23 campaign and a 2023-24 season that seems to be heading toward a top three finish in the Atlantic, such success will put the NHL on notice, and a trade for Kane would be expected at this point.
So there is no Kane this season. But that doesn’t mean he is out of the running to spend time with his hometown Buffalo Sabres. If they are winning in 2023-24, are comfortable with parting ways with a few players and prospects, and Kane is willing to come home, this trade is realistic.
Article Source: PATRICK KANE IS THE PLAYER TO WATCH IN THIS SEASON’S RUMOR MILL by Lyle Richardson