NHL Rumors: Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, and the Chicago Blackhawks

Will the Capitals re-sign Nick Jensen and/or Erik Gustafsson or trade one/both?

Pierre LeBrun: The Washington Capitals talked with pending UFA defensemen Nick Jensen and Erik Gustafsson late last week about potential extensions – and the same for Dmitry Orlov before he was traded. Will they sign one or trade one or both?

The Rangers are talking to teams about brokering deals

Darren Dreger: The New York Rangers are talking to teams about brokering a deal, similar to the past big trades this week with regard to salary retention. Forwards Vitali Kravtsov and Jake Leschyshyn were held out last night.

NHL Rumors: Scouting NJ-LA, Rangers, Kane, van Riemsdyk and Monahan

An Undecided Patrick Kane with plenty of interested Cup contenders

Kevin Weekes: Spoke with Pat Brisson, Patrick Kane’s agent, who said: “Patrick is a unicorn, the market for him isn’t 2 or 3 clubs, plenty of contender clubs are interested in him.”

Pierre LeBrun: Pat Brisson: “Patrick hasn’t made any decision at this point.”

Sean Shapiro: Get the sense that the Dallas Stars are not willing to pay that type of price for a rental like Patrick Kane.

Ben Pope: A thread on some thoughts about the Patrick Kane situation.

@PierreVLeBrun reports Kane, IF he decides to be traded, will give the Blackhawks just ONE team to talk to. If that doesn’t work out, he might then give another team, but it will supposedly be one at a time. That creates a negotiating conundrum…

The Hawks will have absolutely zero leverage in that case. The chosen team will know Davidson will feel obligated to fulfill Kane’s wishes and also know no other teams can bid the price up. There will be nothing stopping them from doing some major lowballing.

This situation has been compared to Claude Giroux, who told PHI last year he wanted to go to FLA only. They eventually got a 1st+3rd+prospect back. I’d be shocked if the Hawks end up getting anything close to that much for Kane. They’ll be in a very tough spot.

NHL Rumors: Where Does Patrick Kane Land? Does Health Play A Factor?

By the way, @FriedgeHNIC just wrote that the Oilers have “made a pitch” to Kane, while the Hurricanes have “monitored” Kane and the Stars had “backed away” but could be back in now. He also mentioned the Wild. The Knights, always agents of chaos, are probably a wild card here.”