On Ilya Kovalchuk …
Igor Eronko: Hearing the New York Rangers are out of the Ilya Kovalchuk sweepstakes.
Andrew Gross: Hard to image a trade between the NJ Devils and the NY Rangers.
Arthur Staple: Hearing the New York Islanders are not interested in Kovalchuk.
On the Buffalo Sabres and Evander Kane …
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Darren Dreger was on WGR 550 talking about the Buffalo Sabres and Evander Kane trade rumors. There is interest in Kane.
“The problem that Buffalo has in moving Kane is then you open up a pretty big hole on that left side. So that’s not to say that they’re reluctant to trade him. Maybe they’ve got pieces – and you guys can speak to this better than I – who can fill that void; or they acquire something in return, or they can make another transaction, or they can sign a free agent.
“But there is a high level of interest in Evander Kane and primarily, my understanding, it’s coming from veteran teams around the NHL who are kind of in that ‘win now’ mode. So they’re less concerned with whatever the whole package of Evander Kane might be, and more interested in the fact that he’s a hell of a hockey player who might help them win or get into the playoffs and challenge for a Stanley Cup.”
Teams that might fit the bill as to who is looking at Kane … Dreger speculating … maybe the San Jose Sharks. They have decisions on Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. Thornton wants three years and the Sharks may not be interested in that long.
The Anaheim Ducks may not be happy with an early round playoff exit.
“So there’s a couple of Western Conference teams that off the top of my head might be interested, but I’m not certain of that.”
