The NY Rangers and Ryan Callahan have been having a hard time in contract talks and that has put the team in a situation where it's now looking for potential teams to trade their captain to in case they cannot strike a deal and teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks could be options, including with Dan Boyle possibly getting in on the mix.
The Rangers have been hanging around in the east this season in the Metro after a rough start and now they are looking at potential partners for a Callahan deal, as the team and player have had issues with a contract. According to ESPN.com, Callahan and the team are apart on a deal and now the 28 year old captain could be moving on since he is an unrestricted free agent if the two sides cannot agree by the summer. Dan Girardi is in the same boat and he could be on his way out as well and that would be a huge blow for the Rangers.
The team has great players like Brad Richards and Rick Nash, but Callahan is the heart and soul of the team as the captain and after dealing with some injuries he is back in the lineup. SB nation reports that Callahan is looking for a contract that would pay him over $5-6 million per year and that would be over seven years, while the Rangers would like a shorter deal. Girardi is also looking for a deal similar in years, while ESPN.com reports that the team would rather give him something like a five year contract.
The Rangers were Stanley Cup contenders two years ago when they finished first in the conference, but now they do not appear ready to win a championship and making a move like this would be similar to the moves they made last year when they traded Marian Gaborik to the Columbus Blue Jackets. ESPN.com reports that the deal could go down after the Olympic freeze rather than before and the break comes on February 7 and that is next Friday when the Olympics start up in Sochi and Callahan will be there.
The March 5 trade deadline is not as far off as it sounds and since ESPN.com reports talks are not close, it looks like a trade it more than likely. ESPN.com writes that Dan Boyle could be a fit, as he is a player that the Rangers have long coveted and the Sharks could use a boost up front with Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton and the Toronto Maple Leafs could also be in the mix, as they have been shopping Nazem Kadri this season. Keep an eye on this as it develops.
