Kekalainen waiting for offers
Nick Cotsonika of NHL.com: Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen continues to listen on calls that come in for Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky.
“I’m still just taking phone calls from teams that are interested,” the Columbus Blue Jackets general manager said Wednesday.
When asked if he has a price in mind that he wants for Panarin or Bobrovsky, Kekalainen said:
“No,” he said. “Make an offer if you’re interested.”
The outcome of the entire deal is a more important factor to Kekalainen than their position in the standings.
“It’s more about the outcome of the whole deal — for now, the near future and into the little more distant future,” Kekalainen said. “That’s the deciding factor, not where we are in the standings. …
“We’re going to have to look at all our options, and once we have them in front of us, we’ll make a decision.”
Ben Lovejoy loves New Jersey but knows he could be dealt
Chris Ryan of NJ.com: New Jersey Devils defenseman Ben Lovejoy is a pending unrestricted free agent and he knows that he could be on the move before the trade deadline.
“It’s something I think about every day. I love it here,” Lovejoy told NJ Advance Media. “I’ve loved playing here, I’ve loved living here, I’ve loved being a Devils, coming to the rink every day. We have not been successful enough this year and I understand when that happens, changes are made, particularly at the deadline.
“I am a Devil right now. I have too much respect for the owners, management, coaches, our players, people that work here. I’m going to give everything I have as long as I’m a Devil. If I am traded, I’m going to go there and give them everything I have.”