Buffalo Sabres star forward Evander Kane has been at the center of trade rumors for seemingly his entire career. And now that he's going to be a free agent in July 2018, these rumors have just gotten more and more intense.
San Jose Sharks insider Paul Gackle wrote in his latest article that GM Doug Wilson might be interested in trading for Kane, since he's been looking for a winger to play with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski.
The journalist gave us a glimpse of what the 26-year-old could be worth on the market nowadays.
"Kane would probably cost the Sharks a defenseman, such as Tim Heed or Joakim Ryan, a young forward and a draft pick, a high price to pay for a player that might not fit in with the culture of the dressing room."
It is important to mention that Joakim Ryan is a 24-year-old defenseman that plays with Brent Burns on the San Jose Sharks' first defense pairing. Parting ways with a talented blueliner would indeed be a steep price for a Kane.
And as a matter of fact, Gackle doesn't believe he would be a good fit in the locker room:
"Kane possesses a lot of the attributes the Sharks are looking for in a top line winger. He’s fast, he’s strong on the puck and he ranks fifth in goals since Dec. 1. 2016. But he also carries a lot of baggage. He was run out of Winnipeg by his teammates three years ago after showing up late to a team meeting and the Sharks place a high emphasis on character when they acquire players from outside."
Kane is off to a tremendous start this season: he already recorded 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points in just 19 games. He is in the last season of a six-year, $31,5 million contract.
