Jets or Sabres – Who Wins in the Evander Kane Deal by Jamie Gilcig – FEB 11, 2015

jg2CFN – Rule of thumb is the measure of a trade is who gets the best player.  With this being the cap age who the best player is can be quite relevant.  For example as I type this Max Pacioretty has more value than PK Subban because of his amazing dollar deal compared the to high priced Subban.

That’s not a reflection on either player’s talent; just their value in the cap age.

Today the Jets lost big time in that they gave the two best players in their monster deal to Buffalo.   Both Evander Kane and Zach Bogosian are the best players in the deal.   The Jets also get Jason Kasdorf (former 6th  round pick)

Buffalo GM Tim Murray was able to play the sizzle.  The bottom line is if Tyler Myers was such a rock then you simply would not have him on the market, period, especially signed to the term he was.    As a long time number cruncher there is nothing in his numbers that shows that he will “become” what some writers say he will.    His first big NHL season was simply an aberration.

Normally you can see a player’s trajectory in their numbers.   For example OHL numbers translated to AHL numbers translated to NHL numbers.  Talented players rise to their peaks.    Some are rushed which can make it a bit harder to project.

Tyler Myers simply never translated to that first big season he had with the Sabres.  He’s a talented D man of large size and of value, but he has four more years at a cap hit of $5.5M.   He won’t be counted to be the Jets number one D man, but he also won’t bring that much extra offense to compensate for Zach Bogosian’s grit.

Bogosian (6’3 215) while injured has racked up on average over 100 hits per season other than his shortened 2012/13 year.  He peaked at 30 points. and brings 135-150 shots per season to the table.   He has five more years, like Myers, at $5.142M per.

Myers however has had injuries.   His numbers are comparable to Myers, he’s a year younger, and has a slightly smaller cap hit.

Evander Kane may be a nightmare or a dream come true.    The Vancouver native is a power forward who is still only 23 and signed to a cap friendly $5.2M for the next three seasons.   He’s already scored 30 goals once in a NHL season and peaked at 287 shots on goal which he added 173 hits to in 2011/12.   This year, playing hurt he banked 119 hits and 22 points in 37 games.      That’s not too shabby.

Drew Stafford is 29.   He’s peaked around the 50 point mark and is UFA.

The Jets also get Brendan Lemieux, Joel Armia and a 2015 draft pick.  With Rochester this year he has 25 points in 33 games.   He seems to be a peripheral player who may or may not make it to the NHL, but certainly isn’t projected highly or as a top six skater.     Lemieux seems destined to the NHL.  He’s having a great year with Barrie in the OHL notching 35 goals and 120 pims and is only 18.   He will never be an Evander Kane.

With Myers and Bogosian being a near wash it ends up being 3 seasons of Kane for a UFA in Stafford, a 1st, and some hope.   The Jets get some help for this season, which the team needs with the injury to Kane, but it gives up some future and cap value.

Kevin Cheveldayoff probably did the best he could as there was blood in the water.   He clears up his dressing issues and doesn’t kill his cap or bottom line.   He probably was offered worse deals than this, but again, Tim Murray jumped in and counted some NHL GM coup in this deal.

Tim Murray and the Buffalo Sabres win this one hands down and adds a top six power forward and top 4 d man to his future squad in exchange for an enigma, a UFA, a decent prospect and draft pick.

What do you think hockey fans?  You can post your comments below.

Who Won in the Buffalo Sabres Winnipeg Jets Trade?

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1 Comment

  1. Winnipeg go rid of a troublesome locker room player. The peace that will now be in their locker room cannot be measured.

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