Buffalo Sabres: Will Evander Kane actually be traded?

Despite at least eight teams being reportedly interested in Evander Kane, will the Buffalo Sabres actually move the winger before the Feb. 26 trade deadline?

The clock is ticking on Evander Kane‘s time with the Buffalo Sabres. With his apparent refusal to sign a contract extension, the only question is how long he has left in Western New York?

The long-standing assumption was Kane would be gone before Feb. 26, rather than remaining for the rest of this season. However, here we are just five days away from the trade deadline and he is still a member of the Buffalo Sabres.

The mercurial winger was on fire before the New Year, with 34 points (15 goals & 19 assists) in 37 games. He was displaying his talents on a consistent basis, showcasing to the rest of the league what he was capable of; especially when he stayed out of trouble.

However, the calendar turned to a new year and since then, Kane just hasn’t been the same. He has just five points in his last 23 games and that includes a goal in his most recent appearance, against the Washington Capitals.

As a result, is it possible teams have now been turned off from trading for the 26-year-old? Or are they just thinking it would be better to wait until after the season, when he is a free agent?

According to The Athletic‘s Craig Custance, the interest is still there. Speaking to WGR 550‘s Howard Simon on Monday, Custance said:

"“When I’ve had conversations with people in Buffalo, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of concern. I think part of it is because they felt there is enough demand there. There’s not like it’s was just one team that was pushing for him. We’re talking eight-10 teams that have shown interest in Evander Kane.”"

Now, we appreciate interest doesn’t actually mean Kane is definitely going to be moved by the traded deadline. In a lot of instances, it is just a case of a team performing their due diligence.

However, you have to believe there are teams out there that genuinely want to add the 2009 fourth overall draft pick. His talent is beyond doubt and he could be just the player to take a fringe playoff contender to that next level.

Even taking into account Kane’s recent slump, he’s still well on course to have the second-most points of his career. He is also showing increased durability, which should see him set a new personal best for games played in a season.