The Sabres Observer

It was easy enough to see, even before last night's 2-1 Buffalo shootout win over Toronto, how good Evander Kane had played as a Sabre.

Fifteen shots on net, one disallowed goal and two assists in five games, a 54% Corsi For rating on a 40% Corsi For team, and an energy and presence on the ice that even passed the eye test.

Well, easy enough to see if you aren't a writer either too lazy to do his homework or carrying aspirations of induction into the Hot Takes Hall of Fame.

The centerpiece of a blockbuster deal with Winnipeg late last season, allegedly on the wrong end of "one of the more one-sided trades in NHL history", finally got what he deserved -- a game-tying goal and first star of the night. He also played over 22 minutes, had 7 shots on goal and led the team with 4 hits to boot.

For more reasons than just last night's stellar performance, one question needs to be asked.

What the hell is everyone's problem with Evander Kane?

Is it just a case of jealousy of a young man with big money, good looks and elite talent? Anger over his not playing when he needed a shoulder operation? Obsession over a stupidly silly and unverified story about a track suit? Piling on with a nobody fan whining about not getting an autograph? Fury over his audacity to dream out loud about scoring 40 or 50 goals?

For those of you with a bad habit of believing everything you read in trashy articles born from either a lack of hockey sense or a desperate need to create a controversial buzz, and given that carte blanche has apparently been granted to make grand assumptions after only a few games, allow me to tell you about the Evander Kane we know in Buffalo.

He's been nothing but a pleasure to watch, intense and involved on the ice, calm and pleasant with reporters, and is such a bad teammate that he rented a helicopter to bring a few of them who are Blue Jays fans to Toronto for a MLB playoff game.

And, yes, he's been engaging in social media, sharing his life with Sabres fans who enjoy reading about his lifestyle, humor and fashion sense rather than enviously trashing it.

Oh, and one other thing -- he's been Buffalo's best player.

What's the worst thing Kane has done as a Sabre? He put his stick in the face of Dion Phaneuf last night and it wasn't called.

Oh well -- sorry about that, Toronto. Fourteen years of watching Mats Sundin taught us the good ones get away with things sometimes.

The good news is intelligent fans won't again be subject to the sensationalism of the Kane narrative until he goes another few games without a goal. Now would be the perfect time for many to rethink their attitude about his young man, but sadly most won't.

The hatred for someone, whose biggest crime to date has been having too much fun with a camera, will unfortunately continue. Because wealth and success always equate to arrogance, no famous and beloved athlete has ever turned down an autograph, and Dustin Byfuglien is a pure angel.

Let's be better than this.

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dd@kuklaskorner.com

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