It’s official. Evander Kane is headed to the Buffalo Sabres in a trade which finally closes the book on a turbulent spell with the Winnipeg Jets. As Kane packs for Buffalo, Jets fans (and perhaps the Winnipeg media) will rejoice in the fact all of Kane’s baggage is going with him. The Jets are receiving a nice haul for Kane and Zach Bogosian in the likes of Tyler Myers, Drew Stafford, two prospects and a first-round pick.
That’s the end of this story, right? Maybe not. Winnipeg – particularly the media – were in a hurry to push Kane out the door. Kane certainly has some troubling faults, but he’s a great hockey player. A dynamic, explosive, immensely talented hockey player. Issues away from the rink soured the perception of Kane on the ice and that may have forced the Jets to make a decision they’ll regret.
The Kane trade may cause one name to come to mind – Tyler Seguin. It’s not a completely accurate comparison, but there are some strong parallels here. The Boston media may say the trade hasn’t been won or lost quite yet, but Seguin’s insane, league-leading offensive production this year has done all the talking. Boston will point to the salary cap as the main reason Seguin was moved, but the off-ice issues were a topic frequently discussed in the months leading up to the trade. The Bruins removed the “troubled” Seguin and he has gone on to become one of the best players in the NHL.
Will history more or less repeat itself? Will Kane take his game to the next level in Buffalo and make the Jets regret their trade? The talent in Buffalo may be lacking (OK, really lacking), but Kane should have the motivation to make the Jets kick themselves for making this trade. We’ll have to revisit this topic in a few years, but it seems like we’ve heard this story before and the ending usually favors the team taking on the baggage.
