It was, no doubt, a shock to the New York Rangers fanbase when, just prior to last season's NHL trade deadline, the team shipped forward and one-time-captain Ryan Callahan to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for the diminutive, but electric, Martin St. Louis.
According to the latest NHL trade rumors, a similar situation could again be shaping up for the Broadway Blueshirts.
Mats Zuccarello, a heartbeat guy if there ever was one, is a pending unrestricted free agent the team is trying to lock-up long-term. However, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that talks between the two sides have not been particularly productive to this point, leading to increased rumblings that the organization may be ready to more fully entertain the notion of moving the speedy youngster.
"He and the Rangers are not close on a new deal and he can walk this summer. The simple move for New York is to keep him, make a playoff run and take their chances later. But, there are rumors they will consider trading him, see what they can get and, if necessary, flip that for something else," Friedman wrote.
"I can't prove or disprove those rumblings, but they're out there."
Rumblings are often just that - rumblings - and nothing more. At times though, as was seen with Daniel Winnik and Jiri Tlusty, those rumblings portend something much more tangible.
Zuccarello is an important piece to the overall success of the Rangers and a guy that head coach Alain Vigneault has publicly stated he wants to see remain with the franchise.
But with the Rangers up against the salary cap already - they're got about $2.6 million in space - and trying to find a way past the Pittsburgh Penguins, Montreal Canadiens and New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference playoffs, Zuccarello could find himself an interesting trade piece if GM Glen Sather sees the need for a different type of player.
