Columbus Dispatch ( Aaron Portzline):
There are eight scouts on hand to watch the Blue Jackets play the Kings. Two of them are worth mentioning.
1) Rick Kehoe of the New York Rangers is watching the Blue Jackets for the sixth or seventh time (at least) this season. You’ll recall that rumors were running hot and heavy last week that the Blue Jackets and Rangers were on the cusp of a deal.
2) Gordie Roberts of the Montreal Canadiens is here, too. Remember those Sergei Fedorov rumors out of Moscow last month? Well, they seem a little far-fetched even today — Fedorov is making $6.08 million — but it might make more sense at the trade deadline.
Now, let’s be clear. Scouts aren’t stupid. They like coming to California just like the rest of us. But it seems strange Kehoe would be all the way out there.
It’s not advance scouting, either. The Blue Jackets don’t play the Rangers; the Kings play them on Feb. 5, but they play the Islanders and Devils in the days before that. So why not advance them then?
Clearly, it’s not Vyborny the Rangers are after. He’s out of the lineup right now with a groin injury.
Also in the building — two scouts for Dallas, two for Boston and one each for Chicago and Vancouver.
Maybe lots of clubs expect both the Kings and Blue Jackets to be sellers at the trade deadline and they’re just doing their homework.
Or maybe something’s on the verge of going down.
Let the rumors fly …
