Sunday night could ultimately prove to be New York Rangers captain Ryan Callahan's swan song with the team, and if it in fact was his final game in a Blueshirts uniform, it was one to forget.
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The Rangers were slaughtered 6-3 by the Boston Bruins thanks largely to defensive lapses in front of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who spend his 32nd birthday on the losing end against one of the favorites to emerge as champions of the Eastern Conference.
Despite the rumors that the Rangers, who don't play again until Wednesday night just a couple of hours after the NHL's trade deadline, might be dealing Callahan, the captain insisted he didn't go into Sunday's game thinking it could be his last game as a Ranger.
"No, I didn't look at it like that. This is where I want to be. I'm just focused on doing what I can for the team," Callahan, 28, told ESPNNewYork.com after the game.
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The NHL trade deadline is rapidly approaching at 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday, and Callahan could very well be dealt before the Rangers host the Toronto Maple Leafs Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. All Callahan can do right now is wait and see how the situation unfolds.
Callahan is due to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, and Rangers general manager Glen Sather has three options: to either move his hear-and-soul captain before the deadline, ink him to an extension by the end of the season or stand pat at the deadline and run the risk of losing his team's captain for nothing in July through free agency.
Talks of Callahan being moved have ramped up and with the two sides agreeing to meet in the middle in terms of years--settling for six years after the Rangers wanted five and Callahan wanted seven--they still remain apart on the salary.
Callahan just wants Wednesday to come and go so he can put the speculation behind him.
"Yeah, definitely," Callahan told ESPNNewYork.com about wanting to move on from the rumors. "It's been on my mind -- there's no secret there -- so it'll be nice to get it done with and move past it."
Callahan headlines a trade market that may include Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Vancouver Canucks' Ryan Kesler, who have each reportedly asked for trades. Thomas Vanek (New York Islanders) and Matt Moulson (Buffalo Sabres) may also be on the move as rental players.
The Rangers ended the speculation surrounding defenseman and Callahan's close friend Dan Girardi by inking him to a six-year $33 million extension on Friday.
Callahan, who has 25 points in 45 games off of 11 goals and 14 assists, was asked if now that Girardi has signed he'd follow in his footsteps.
"Just wait and see, I guess," Callahan told the site. "Obviously my heart's still here and I want to be here, so we'll see what happens."
Come Wednesday, the Rangers' captain's fate will be known.
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