Sources continue to indicate that the Los Angeles Kings efforts remain with Ray Whitney and Atlanta Thrashers GM Don Waddell is seeing more and more suitors fall out of the Ilya Kovalchuk sweepstakes due to an enormous asking price.
The Kings have been anointed by many as the front runners to land Kovalchuk but no deal is even in the works between the two sides.
Meanwhile, Boston, Philadelphia, Vancouver, Washington, and Chicago have yet to make a play for Kovalchuk and don’t bet on the Canucks or Capitals getting seriously involved.
Boston remains infatuated with older veterans like Keith Tkachuk and reports out of Boston indicate the Bruins aren’t serious contenders for Kovalchuk.
Waddell’s asking price is so steep that when it comes down it, there is league speculation that Atlanta may have no choice but to accept an offer from the New York Rangers.
So many teams have been turned off by Atlanta’s asking price, their efforts are elsewhere and may remain elsewhere on March 3rd, due to Kovalchuk’s impending free agency.
The Rangers have given Atlanta a list of players they are willing to move, headlined by young players Ryan Callahan, Daniel Girardi and Brandon Dubinsky.
Girardi was a player that Sather wouldn’t move for Dany Heatley but the circumstances have changed now.
Sather is fighting for his job and despite not being able offer anything of significance, the Rangers won’t be going away in the Kovalchuk sweepstakes.
It could pay off in the end.