Sunday, February 20, 2011

Trade Deadline Rumors: McCabe, Kuba, Souray, Neil


Rumors surrounding the New York Rangers are coming fast and furious this morning.  Some of the rumors concern what the Rangers will do before the trade deadline, but others concern what will happen with the team this summer and how it will impact next year’s cap situation.  Since there are so many here are the deadline ones first.
Concerning the trade deadline:

Pierre LeBrun at ESPN writes that the Rangers are definitely in on Bryan McCabe, but that the Panthers are hoping the Kaberle deal set the market for McCabe and that the Rangers do not want to approach that price tag for the Florida veteran.  McCabe returned to the lineup last night, after being out with a broken jaw, and would be a very good veteran addition to the team, but not at anything near the Kaberle cost.  The highest I would probably go McCabe is similar to what Brewer got, possibly our extra second and Gilroy.  The toughness, experience, ability to run a power play and big shot make Bryan a very attractive target, but price is key.

In the New York Post, Larry Brooks writes that it is unlikely the Rangers will claim Souray.  Hopefully this is right as the Souray was put on re-entry waivers yesterday with Edmonton hoping that a team looking for power play help would panic and bite on him.

Over at the Ottawa Sun, Bruce Garrioch  jumps on the idea that Larry Brooks floated earlier this week in the Rangers interest in Senators defender Filip Kuba.  I hate this idea the more I think about it, but here is the original report from Brooks and my thoughts on the move.  Garrioch also chimes in on the Rangers and their own defenseman Matt Gilroy saying..

New York doesn’t have any veteran blueliners and has been trying to move D Matt Gilroy all season.
Also, last night Jesse Spector of the New York Daily News passed along a report that had multiple sources claiming the Rangers have interest in Ottawa forward Chris Neil.