As the National Hockey League enters the second month of free agency, a number of former Buffalo Sabres still remain unsigned. At this point of the offseason, players who have not latched on with an NHL club might consider playing in Europe, or taking a short-term deal or professional tryout to earn a one-year deal.
Evander Kane is the most prominent of the unsigned ex-Sabres. The 16-year NHL veteran played three seasons in Buffalo after being the main part of a massive deal with Winnipeg in 2015, but the 34-year-old winger has made a habit of wearing out his welcome for a variety of reasons.
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Talent has never been an issue with Kane. He was a fourth overall pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009, and has scored 20 or more goals nine times, but durability has been a problem recently, as he played 43 and 41 games in the first two seasons with Edmonton in 2022 and 2023, and missed the entire 2024-25 season with a series of injuries before returning for a playoff run with the Oilers.
Edmonton traded Kane to Vancouver after their second straight Cup loss to Florida to clear his $5.125 million salary, and for his hometown Canucks, he scored 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) in 71 games. Having something left in the tank may not be the issue. At this point in his career, most clubs may believe that his talent and contribution would not outweigh the distraction that he could potentially cause.
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Outlook
Kane, at most, will get a one-year deal from a team needing to fill out their roster, which might allow them to trade him as a rental before the trade deadline if he has a bounce-back year, but if he hopes to latch on with a contending club, it will likely be on a PTO.
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