Evander Kane: Budding star or Locker room Cancer?

-Alex Carroll

Evander Kane is a hockey player, passion is a part of his game, he can break away with his speed, split defenders and score 40 goals in a season, but he hasn't.  Evander Kane was a 4th overall selection in the 2009 NHL entry draft, a pick reserved for franchise players with the tools to succeed, he wasn't.  Don't get me wrong, Kane had pretty good seasons, steadily climbing from a 26 point rookie season, to 43 points, and then 57 points including 30 goals to cap off his first 3 season in the league split between Atlanta through their move to Winnipeg when they became the Jets.  Kane's first season in hockey hungry Winnipeg was his 3rd season when he scored 30 goals which left Jets fans salivating at the possibilities of 40+ goal seasons.  

Kane's fourth season came during the lockout, this is where things get rocky for Evander.  Twelve games was all it took for the goal scorer before he was released for not being able to adapt to the KHL, The Russian league where he signed to play in for Dynamo Minsk, during that span he only collected 1 goal and 1 assist.  Once the lockout was lifted, Kane enjoyed a good, shortened season, scoring 17 goals and 33 points in 48 games.  Did Kane feed off of home soil better than he did in Russia? probably, but for him to be so awful in an inferior league is a little suspicious, perhaps when things are not going his way he gives up on his organization and teammates.  About a month before the lockout was lifted, Kane was involved in some social media controversy after showing off his stacks of 100 dollar bills that he was using to "call" Boxer Floyd "money" Mayweather.  The Cash incident and Kane's young money supporting haircuts portray him as an immature, flashy athlete consumed with the idea of image all the while his on ice performances were inconsistent and his effort questionable.  Trade Rumors began to ramp up for teams searching for a forward with high scoring potential.  Winnipeg management seemed to be growing tired of Kane's antics and were at the least listening to offers for him.  2013-2014 proved trying for Evander, he missed 19 games due to injury but put up a respectable (but not great) 41 points in 63 games.

The 2014-2015 season was the last for Evander Kane in a Winnipeg sweater.  Evander missed 19 games, one was from being a healthy scratch after wearing a track suit instead of a suit and tie to a team gathering.  Teammate Dustin Byfuglien had enough of Kane and threw his track suit in the showers to make a statement that Evander's actions were not tolerable.  Kane broke the camel's back when he chose to shut himself down and get shoulder surgery while his team is currently fighting for a wild card playoff position, he could have shown his commitment and played through injury like so many others do in dire situations.  With Kane on the trade block for the past 1 plus seasons, and Buffalo's hulking defenseman Tyler Myers available, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff pulled the trigger and acquired Myers and other pieces for Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian, and Jason Kasdorf.  The Jets and Kane relationship ended ugly and Evander never quite reached potential in Atlanta or Winnipeg.

Is Evander Kane a locker room cancer? Was he thinking of his future health when he decided to get shoulder surgery?  Will Kane find success in Buffalo? Let's take a step back and remember that this man is still 23 years old.  The Buffalo Sabres are last in the NHL standings and will likely receive the 1st or 2nd overall pick in this year's entry draft depending on how the draft lottery shakes out.  Buffalo will get one of two generational players to potentially play with Kane, Boston University's power forward Jack Eichel, or the Next Sidney Crosby, Eerie Otters' high scoring Connor McDavid.  2014 second overall pick Sam Reinhart could also lineup next to Kane.  Regardless of who the former Jet plays on the wing with, the possibilities are endless.  I think Sabres GM Tim Murray needs to sit down with Kane and tell him to cut the bullshit,  Buffalo is in an expedited rebuild since acquiring Kane and Bogosian and there is no room for quitting on your team.  Perhaps Murray should do what Jim Nill did with Tyler Seguin and suggest a social media hiatus.  The Sabres do not have sky high expectations for the next couple of seasons, so Evander needs to grow up, stay out of the spotlight, and just play some puck.  Maybe this young man is growing out of a playful, flamboyant immaturity, he shows passion, but is it merely for life? or will he translate it to his teammates and the organization that is giving him a second chance?  Evander's future actions will dictate this.