Amid speculation that Canucks center Ryan Kesler wants out of Vancouver, reports on Tuesday indicate that the Philadelphia Flyers may be the latest team to try and acquire him before Wednesday's 3 p.m. NHL trade deadline.
Kesler denies making trade request to Vancouver Canucks
According to Philly.com, the Flyers are interested in trying to bring the center over to the Eastern Conference by striking a deal with Vancouver as the hours tick towards the deadline. Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said that he didn't see his team making a major splash this year at the deadline, but things might change.
Reports leaked last week that Kesler was unhappy in Vancouver and had asked for a trade, but the center vehemently denied that he wanted to be dealt. Kesler called the report "completely false" and said he loved being in Vancouver.
"Yes, I am happy," he told the Vancouver Sun last week. "I love my teammates, love the city. My son was born here, grew up here. I am a Canuck and I'm happy to be here."
NHL trade deadline: Penguins interested in acquiring Kesler?
The New York Daily News reported that the Flyers have made a "substantial offer" to try and land Kesler from the Canucks and that they also have some interest in defenseman Alex Edler, who is reportedly on the market.
A deal of this magnitude may be hard to pull off in the next 24 hours, however the Flyers are among a list of teams that have inquired about Kesler. The Flyers are in on Kesler along with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and Columbus Blue Jackets.
According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Penguins general manager Ray Shero has viewed the Flyers as his top competition for acquiring Kesler and said he is willing to deal Brandon Sutter among others to land the Canucks center.
"Shero is said to be as aggressive in this pursuit of Kesler as he has any player at seven previous deadline periods," the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported.
Kesler, 29, reportedly would want to go to Pittsburgh ahead of anywhere else, but he holds the key to where he goes since he has a full no-trade clause. Kesler has two full seasons left on his contract that pays him $5 million per year.
Kesler has 39 points in 62 games for the Canucks this season off of 21 goals and 18 assists.
While it's uncertain if Vancouver will move him, it will be known on Wednesday if Kesler will don another team's jersey for the first time in his career since the Canucks selected him with the 23rd overall pick in the 2003 NHL Draft.
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