The San Jose Sharks are having a nice start to the season despite the controversy surrounding Evander Kane, who got suspended for 21 games by the NHL because of a fake COVID-19 vaccination card. Kane will not be able to play until at least Nov. 30, plus there's also the possibility, perhaps a remote one for now, that the Sharks get some form of cap relief from this situation. Following that line of thought, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic floated the idea that the Sharks could become a trade top destination for Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel (h/t Brian Witt of NBC Sports).
“So listen,” LeBrun added, “I think that, I wonder if at some level about San Jose. Only because, depending on what ends up happening with Evander Kane. If Evander Kane is off the books in some way or another, depending on what the NHL decides, suddenly they got cap room and that Jack Eichel is 24 and the Sharks are trying to transition into a younger team. So I kind of wonder about them.”
Among the top obstacles for a Sabres trade is the size of Eichel's contract. His current deal will not expire until the end of the 2026-27 season, and it's got a cap hit of $10 million per year. Eichel will not also be available right away for a team that trades for him, as he is still dealing with a neck injury that's been the center of his standoff with Buffalo's top management.
As for the Sharks, who are 2-0 after back-to-back wins over the Winnipeg Jets and the Montreal Canadiens to start the season, a scenario in which they become free of financial obligations to Kane would mean a cap relief of over $15 million. Kane is under contract until the end of the 2024-25 season and has an AAV of $7 million.
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