The Rangers have been active in conversations with clubs that either face a protection problem on defense or might be willing to trade a legitimate top-pair righty, but we’re told nothing is imminent.
Among others, yes, the Avalanche’s Tyson Barrie is a person of interest. So is Jacob Trouba of the Jets, but there is nothing at all doing on that front, at least at the moment.
Nate MacKinnon is the player the Blueshirts — among many — would be willing to move just about anyone to acquire, but the problem is Colorado general manager Joe Sakic is asking for just about everyone.
Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton’s dialogue with Brendan Smith continues, with sources reporting the impending free-agent defenseman has maintained his willingness to re-up before the UFA interview window opens June 25 if the Blueshirts come in with a “market-price” offer.
We can say definitively that as of Saturday morning no request had been made of either Marc Staal or Dan Girardi to waive his no-trade clause for purpose of expansion-draft exposure to Vegas.
This theoretically could change before Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline for making such requests, but wouldn’t Gorton have given the universally respected veterans a fair amount of time to consider their options if he were going to pop the question?
Perhaps the inference can be drawn that the Rangers are fine with using their three protected defense slots on Staal, Girardi and Ryan McDonagh, thereby dangling Nick Holden as a potential claim that might interest Golden Knights GM George McPhee and thus allow the Blueshirts to retain Antti Raanta, Jesper Fast, Oscar Lindberg and Michael Grabner.
The Flames and the Jets are believed to be among the clubs who have contacted the Rangers regarding a pre-expansion draft trade for Raanta, but management has not yet committed to dealing him or has not yet received an offer pushing them to that conclusion.
By the way, Gorton has until Friday to sign at least one of the Rangers’ pending free-agent forwards — a group that includes Fast, Lindberg and Matt Puempel — in order to comply with the draft’s exposure regulations. We are told, however, that these players understand their leverage and thus are taking at least a relatively hard line in talks.
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The expectation, affirmed in conversations within the past three days…
If the Rangers aren’t able to sign any of the three (or don’t acquire a disposable forward’s contract) the club would face sanctions from the league that might entail forfeiture of a draft selection.
Expansion issues aside, the Blueshirts are not expected to qualify either Brandon Pirri or Adam Clendening, thus setting both free after one season of service. The club will qualify winger Nicklas Jensen. We’re told a decision is pending regarding goaltender Mackenzie Skapski, who gained renown in 2014-15 as the Buffalo Killer.
Of course, Flames president Brian Burke expects the taxpayers of Calgary to ante up for a new arena. After all, according to Forbes, owner N. Murray Edwards’ net worth has dropped from $2.9 billion in 2013 to approximately $2.2 billion as of last week. So what’s a fella to do?
Squeezed again by the cap — as are essentially all contending revenue-generators — the Blackhawks are again seeking to shed a core contract.
This just in. Becoming aware of Skapski’s nickname, President Donald Trump has decided the 23-year-old is just the person to become director of the Department of Endangered Species Preservation.