If you thought Dominik Kahun would stick with the Penguins longer than 50 games ... so did Kahun.
“Obviously, when I got traded, first of all, I was a little shocked, that’s for sure,” Kahun said during a conference call Tuesday with Buffalo reporters (h/t Buffalo News).
In June 2019, the Penguins traded Olli Maatta to the Blackhawks for Kahun and a fifth-round pick, sending Kahun to his second team in as many years. Then, just before Monday's NHL trade deadline, the Penguins made that three teams in two years, shipping Kahun to the Sabres in exchange for Conor Sheary and Evan Rodrigues.
"I didn’t really see it coming," Kahun said. "But I’m really, really happy to play for Buffalo now.”
With the Penguins, Kahun scored 10 goals and tallied 17 assists, underperforming a touch but still showing some promise that he may have a future as part of the Penguins' top six.
Nope. Now, Kahun will put those talents to work for the 29-25-8 Sabres, but it's still unclear when exactly he'll hit the ice for his new team. The Sabres face the Avalance in Denver Wednesday, Feb. 26, but Kahun is still dealing with a knee injury sustained in the Penguins' 4-0 loss to the Maple Leafs last Thursday in Toronto.
“I don’t think it’s anything terrible and I will be playing soon again,” Kahun said on the call.
While Kahun expects to either play against the Avalanche or in the Sabres' next game Friday against the Golden Knights, his injuries could have played a role in the Penguins feeling the need to trade him. Besides the current knee injury, Kahun also missed eight games earlier this season with a concussion.
For a team already devastated by injuries throughout the season, the Penguins need healthy, available bodies as they push toward another Stanley Cup run. Kahun didn't fit into those plans, but it sounds like he's handling the unexpected transition with grace and professionalism.
"I play hockey," Kahun said. "That’s what I do best. And it doesn’t matter where I play, I always try to help and be the best. Like I said, I was a little surprised. But I’m very excited and I hope that I can stay longer in Buffalo now.”
To continue reading, log into your account:
