NHL Rumors: Red Wings, Avalanche and Rangers
Could the New York Rangers be interested in Matt Duchene
On the Detroit Red Wings …

Ansar Khan of MLive: The Red Wings now have to move out some salary to fit Andreas Athanasiou’s $1.378 million contract in. They do have some time to figure it out.

“Ultimately, we’re going to have to do something on our roster, whether it’s short-term or long-term,” Holland said. “We’ve got time to figure out what we’re going to do, watch some games.

“You’re in a sport where you do have injuries, Hopefully, we don’t have injuries, but if we do, that certainly affects any decision we make. Ultimately, in some point in time in the next few days to a week-to-two weeks we have to make some type of moves to get Andreas onto our roster.”

One option for the Red Wings would be to trade center Riley Sheahan and his $2.075 million salary cap hit. The Penguins are looking for a third line center.

Other options include assigning David Booth to the AHL and waiving Luke Witkowski.

On the Colorado Avalanche and New York Rangers …

Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Darren Dreger when asked if the Avalanche were any closer to trading Matt Duchene.

“Well, it depends who you ask,” replied Dreger. “Some believe Joe Sakic is actually mulling over some legitimate interest – pieces, part of a package perhaps – that he finds at least enticing at this stage. But look, if I took you back to the draft in June, there were opportunities at that point and there were packages presented to Sakic in the moment that he found interesting. So it’s hard to say. What it is is an endless cycle.

“The New York Rangers are a classic example of a team that initially was in, then they were out, recently they’re back in – they’re just revisiting – but they don’t think that there’s anything remotely possible.

Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Elliotte Friedman on Sportsnet 960 on Matt Duchene.

“I don’t know. I think the Rangers have kind of waded back into that,” said NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman during a Friday morning segment on Calgary’s Sportsnet 960. “I think you might see some teams out there who are saying, ‘Well, maybe we’re more interested in the deal right now.’ I think the Rangers waded back into that. I don’t know if there’s a fit. I still think Duchene is getting traded. I just think it’s going to be a matter of when.”

adds that the Montreal Canadiens may not have the assets to trade for Duchene – a young left-handed defenseman.