Chris Kreider: Will he or won’t he be traded?
Rick Carpinello of The Athletic New York: The story spins around and around. Chris Kreider and his future remain going into two possible directions. Either he gets extended or he gets traded. As of Sunday, that answer still is in doubt.
Talks keep going but trade rumors pick up steam as well. Which is it? Honestly, both things are occurring simultaneously. This feels like the Ryan Callahan trade deadline. New York negotiated hard and to the waning hours with him before making the move to trade.
What could be the sticking point or points? No one is at liberty to truly know. Only the parties involved do. That makes this one a bit messy. Kreider and the Rangers still have a window to make the playoffs. If they get there then lookout.
This feels like a situation that could easily drag into Monday afternoon as both sides go back and forth. Then, Jeff Gorton must make his decision one way or the other. Does he feel like he can sign the winger or will he have to quickly circle back on the market? Stay tuned.
Arizona Coyotes: Will they stand pat?
Matt Layman of Arizona Sports 98.7: This always boils down to is a move in the best interest of improving the Arizona Coyotes now?
Arizona is 5-10-4 in their last 19 but selling seems wasteful. They just need health (see Darcy Kuemper). Buying feels foolish since they acquired Phil Kessel and Taylor Hall already. Yet, they need scoring still. They need more from Hall and the playoff push may be enough urgency for both. John Chayka said this on Hall:
“We think we’re as well-positioned as anyone in the league to make a pitch for a star player in a beautiful city and be able to get him,” Chayka said. “And the opportunity to sell him beforehand we think is a very valuable opportunity for us. And we’ll pursue it as hard as we can. Ultimately, I don’t know exactly what the odds are, I know he’s enjoying his time here. It’s been a good fit. He’s playing on a great line and enjoying living in our city. So we feel really confident in our ability.”
A playoff berth is up to Taylor Hall in Arizona it seems. Can he do it again?