Evander Kane followed a similar timeline after each of his first eight NHL regular seasons.

Pack up the locker Nick O'Leary Jersey , say goodbye to teammates and get frustrated watching other players compete in the playoffs rather than getting his own opportunity on the big stage.

A late-season trade to San Jose changed all that for Kane, who is excited for his first chance at the postseason after 574 career games when the Sharks open their first-round series in Anaheim on Thursday night.

¡±I¡¯ve said it in the past: I think I¡¯m a playoff player,¡± Kane said Monday. ¡±I¡¯ve watched the playoffs and when I look at the style of play and it¡¯s something I was jealous because I wasn¡¯t involved in it. Now I get that opportunity and I have to back those words up.¡±

Kane has had plenty of personal success since making his debut for Atlanta as an 18-year-old in 2009 after being the fourth overall pick that year. But his teams never had success in Atlanta, Winnipeg or Buffalo and he always spent the spring as a spectator rather than as a participant.

He joins a franchise that has been a playoff regular, making the postseason for the 13th time in the past 14 seasons under general manager Doug Wilson, including a run to the Stanley Cup Final two years ago.

¡±Fans and players in this organization are spoiled when it comes to that,¡± center Logan Couture said. ¡±You make the playoffs 13 of 14 years ¨C obviously it starts at the top with Doug and the coaching staffs they¡¯ve brought in here. It¡¯s pretty remarkable really to make the playoffs that many times. I missed it once and it¡¯s devastating when you miss it. We¡¯re lucky to play for this organization.¡±

That¡¯s why Kane was so excited about the trade to San Jose on Feb. 26 for two draft picks and a prospect.

Kane has made a big impact on the Sharks since arriving. He stepped right onto the top line with captain Joe Pavelski and has used his speed and physical play to deliver nine goals and five assists in 17 games.

His presence sparked an eight-game winning streak in March that helped San Jose clinch a playoff berth and he has helped fill a scoring void created when Patrick Marleau left as a free agent for Toronto last summer and then Joe Thornton went down with a knee injury in January.

¡±In the short period he¡¯s been here, he¡¯s brought speed which backs teams off Tim Brown Jersey , he¡¯s brought a physical presence, which keeps some people honest,¡± coach Peter DeBoer said. ¡±For me, the biggest thing is he¡¯s probably added a goal a night for us. When Patty Marleau left, and we asked guys to take a step, you¡¯re not scoring as much as you normally would, and there was a lot of 2-1 games and we found a way to battle things out. Eventually, Jumbo going down Walt Aikens Jersey , it started to catch up with us. That extra goal a game that he¡¯s added to our lineup, whether it¡¯s him scoring himself or creating a goal, that¡¯s a difference in this league.¡±

Kane was hampered late in the season by an undisclosed injury that forced him to miss two games before returning for the season finale against Minnesota on Saturday.

Kane didn¡¯t look like his usual self that game but said it was important to get rid of some ¡±cobwebs¡± before the playoffs started and he gets the chance to back up his belief that he can thrive at this time of year.

¡±It¡¯s a fast, hard-nosed game,¡± he said. ¡±The intensity ramps up and the style of play. It¡¯s hard to score. There are a lot of 2-1 games, 3-2 games, and you have to find different ways to score. I¡¯ve always prided myself on being able to score in different ways and I think the physical element as well. That¡¯s a big part of the playoffs. Guys who have 20 hits all year the next thing you know they have 20 hits in two games. It¡¯s definitely a different animal and I¡¯m looking forward to experiencing it.¡±

NOTES: DeBoer said he expects all his players to be available for Game 1 on Thursday with the exception of Thornton, who has been out since Jan. 23.

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Richie Incognito's playing days might not be over after all.

The veteran guard is free to resume his career after the Buffalo Bills released him from their reserve/retired list on Monday.

The move represents the latest twist in what's become an unsettling offseason for Incognito. He now becomes a free agent some six weeks after abruptly announcing he was retiring on his Twitter account.

Incognito did not reply to a voicemail and text message left with him by The Associated Press.

He has also not posted any messages on Twitter since April 15 Ronnie Lott Jersey , three days after the Bills placed him on the reserve/retired list.

The Bills did not provide a reason for the decision to release Incognito in announcing the move in a one-sentence statement.

General manager Brandon Beane last month sidestepped questions regarding Incognito by saying he's focusing on players on the roster. Beane did say Incognito would have to seek the NFL's permission to be reinstated should he desire to come out of retirement.

Incognito cited health concerns as one of the reasons he was retiring. He was also unhappy with taking a pay cut in restructuring the final year of his contract with Buffalo this offseason.

The 34-year-old Incognito has 11 seasons of NFL experience, including the past three with Buffalo. He earned three of his four Pro Bowl selections in Buffalo, and was part of a line that helped the Bills lead the NFL in yards rushing in both 2015 and '16.

The Bills provided Incognito a second chance at resuming his career after he spent 18 months out of football following his role in the Miami Dolphins' bullying scandal.

Incognito was suspended for the final eight games of the 2013 season, when the Dolphins were thrust into the national spotlight after offensive lineman Jonathan Martin abruptly quit the team amid accusations he was being bullied. An NFL investigation determined Incognito and two other Dolphins offensive linemen persistently harassed Martin.

In February, Martin was detained and questioned by Los Angeles police after posting a threatening note on his Instagram account. Martin's post showed a shotgun and specifically mentioned Incognito, former teammate Mike Pouncey as well as a private Los Angeles prep school Martin once attended. Martin wrote suicide and revenge were the only options for a victim of bullying.

This offseason, Incognito was also the subject of an NFL investigation after Jacksonville defensive end Yannick Ngakoue accused the Bills player of making racist slurs during the Jaguars' 10-3 win over Buffalo in an AFC wild-card playoff game in January. The NFL has not announced whether it has completed its investigation. Ngakoue said he and Incognito cleared the air after they were AFC teammates at the Pro Bowl in January.

Incognito caused another stir this offseason. A week before retiring, Incognito fired his agent Tyreek Hill Jersey , David Dunn, in a post on Twitter.

Incognito also played three-plus seasons in St. Louis, which drafted him in 2005. He played in college at Nebraska but left after being suspended. He then transferred to Oregon, though he never played for the Ducks.

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