Some thoughts on Kane coming from a buffalo fan.
His fore checking is elite. He'll chase down a dump-in in the ozone and create absolute panic in defenders. He wins so many battles; 1-1, 2-1 - not only along the boards, but in front of the net. He runs guys over in pursuit of the puck and creates tons of turn-overs in the ozone. He's a low percentage shooter, but he takes TONS of shots, some from bad angles, sometimes to the detriment of his line mates when he had a better passing play. He is an under-rated passer, especially from behind the net, and would say he'd be better if he used this more. His creativity and vision are on the low-end, but I think this is sometimes confused with hockey IQ. I don't believe he under-thinks the game, but his success has been physicality and shooting - why change that?
His production this year slumped after a hot start, but so did the sabres as a team. Housley took him off of the #1 PP and he lost his place next to Eichel - and there really isn't another suitable center on the team for him. There was a stat out the other day before he was traded that Austin Matthews is the only other player with more even-strength goals than Kane the last two years. That's elite company.
The character issues that dogged him are for a few reasons. The big one in my mind is the way he approaches preparation and practice. He's not one of these guys that spends a lot of time around the locker room, or first on/last off the ice. He claims this is what works for him, and it's hard to argue with his success. But it's not a good example for a young team, but could play better in a veteran locker room. I do wonder how much better he could be if he focused more on his craft. It's been rumored he likes the night life - he's 24 and a millionaire, so this doesn't surprise me. Pat Kane liked the night life at that age as well, that didn't stop CHI from winning several cups.
He's been called selfish, but the narrative of him being a pariah and locker-room cancer is not fair. He seemed to be liked in the buffalo locker room, and tried very hard after a rough start to keep on the straight and narrow. Personally, I think some of the criticism levied at him by fans and media has racist undertones. Kane is confident and unapologetic, and I think that doesn't play in the prairies. The fact that he only fetched what he did this trade deadline in my opinion has more to do with hockey being a old boys club than anything else.
I'm going to miss him in a sabres uniform, but the term and cost of what it would have taken to retain him just wouldn't fit into the Sabres plans.