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UPDATE: The Following Players are being bought out (expect this list may grow by a a few..) Mike Richards, PA Parenteau and Fistric
OK, so that was an exhausting few days!
Anyway, you probably thought you could breathe, right? Well THINK AGAIN.
IT'S NEVER GOING TO STOP. (Well it will slow down a lot a week from now.)
But for now...
IT'S NEVER GOING TO STOP.
Because you know what? In three days it's freakin' July 1!
Rant over...
Let's begin...
Oh wait, first off I apologize for letting the Rumor Chart slip a bit over the last few days.
It was THAT crazy around here and today I literally have to go through 186 emails and countless texts and messages to try and figure out when the dust has settled exactly where all the players on the chart sit. I will have that done today, tonight, and by tomorrow morning we will have a more clear picture on several of the players.
So as my way of apologizing for that, I have updated the four players and will leave Phil Kessel at the top spot, visible for free to all, until I update the rest. I will update Phil throughout the day.
And now I will get into the four I have updated...
So far today I have updated the following players on the Rumor Chart: Click here for updates on Sharp, Kessel Phaneuf and Frolik...
On Phil Kessel....
I truly hope Phil went on a cruise or something. This week must be crazy indeed to be him.
The Phil Kessel story has come down to four teams essentially. Two pairs of teams actually who love to get in arm's races with each other and who tend to make decisions based on each other.
Two in California, Two in Pennsylvania.
The Penguins are still my favorite, but now the Flyers are in on Kessel as well I am told. Honestly shocking that they are in this, but Hextall has been incredibly creative opening cap space and getting the team back in the game. I still am not buying they are completely in it, but if the Pens are in it they are too. The last time this happened the Flyers ended up with Jagr and the Penguins ended up furious.
Out West, The Kings and the Ducks are not only both in on Kessel, they are both keeping tabs on Phaneuf. And the other Cali team is in on Phaneuf as well. The Kings just put Richards on "buyout waivers" and he will enter the UFA market. The Kings are moving quickly on something big I am told.
The Panthers, Yotes, and Preds are out of it...at least as of now.
I do believe Kessel gets done BEFORE July 1, and there are some in the industry who believe it could already be basically done but not official until after July 1...when the Leafs will hand Phil his new address....and oh here are 4 million dollars for your troubles.
On Phaneuf....
Add Colorado to the three California teams and you have the Phaneuf race. I did talk to one source who has heard Edmonton is also making a play for Phaneuf, but I haven't been able to get much more on that one...
On Patrick Sharp...
This is pretty much the same as most have been reporting...Montreal, Pittsburgh and Washington....I will add Nashville as a "far shot" but probably fading...
On Michael Frolik...
Way more talented than most of us out East know, Frolik may be the best UFA forward available...currently the Kings, Canadiens, Flyers, and Devils are the most likely....and although ties seem to be broken with the Jets I have heard they aren't completely..but I give that a 10% at best.
Currently I am digging into two more interesting situations...TJ Oshie and Rick Nash... more on them in a bit...