Myth: Evander Kane has a lengthy history of legal trouble
Fact: Kane has been been in trouble with the courts once in his life, a minor trespassing charge due to alleged unruly behavior in a bar.
Myth: Kane issues aren't significant
Fact: Kane has been involved in situations that created embarrassing headlines three times during his year in Buffalo and at several other times during his stint with the Jets. NHL franchises care about their reputations.
Myth: Kane is a terrible teammate.
Fact: He seems to clearly have been disliked by the leadership in Winnipeg. There has been no evidence that is the case so far in Buffalo. Kane has said he likes his teammates in Buffalo and there is some evidence to suggest the feeling is mutual. He expressed contrition over his high-profile missed practice and his teammates seemed to accept that. Tim Murray has talked about a need for him to show leadership by spending more time around the locker room. His commitment to fitness and effort on the ice in Buffalo have not been questioned.
Myth: Kane is 30-goal scorer.
Fact: he's done it once. On average he is a 20-goal scorer.
Myth: Kane isn't that good a player
Fact: he is a tough, elite skater and one of the best forecheckers in the game. His poor playmaking skills prevent him from being a legitimate first liner but he plays hard all the time is tough to play against and scores better than most. On most teams in most games he would be at least their second-best left winger. On many, he would be their best.
Myth: the Sabres are anxious to get rid of him.
Fact: his dickish reputation has a large portion of the NHL fan base ripping him on the Internet, convincing themselves and each other that no team would want him. It also has an equally large portion of the NHL fan base fantasizing he is an undervalued asset ripe for their favourite team to pluck at a bargain-basement cost.
Up until this draft day incident, the Sabres organization has been mostly happy with Kane, his NBA all-star sleep-in notwithstanding. His coach likes him and feeds him tons of ice time. The Buffalo dressing room is as strong and as solid as it has been for years and his teammates seem to have accepted him.
But it is clear that this latest situation, coming during the draft with the eyes of the league on Buffalo and apparently involving disrespectful behavior toward women has moved Kane from core piece to a question mark. It has reawoken questions about the December incident with the woman in his hotel, which had been largely dismissed by all in the know as the result of unfortunate circumstances. It would safest to say that Kane is on notice and will have to prove himself to ownership. But these are the same Pegulas who signed Richie Incognito. They believe in second chances. And for the Sabres - unlike the hockey's future crowd - this is legitimately a second strike situation, not a fourth or fifth.
He'd only get traded for good players like a Tanev or a Virtanen if he could keep his nose clean for an extended period while repeating his career numbers. He'd only get traded for a package of mediocrities like Sbisa and Gaunce if Buffalo was actually desperate to move him.
Right now, Tim Murray would consider an offer that makes the Sabres a better hockey team. He is not interested in your best lowball offer in some imagined fire sale. At least not yet.
