7/9/18 | Larry Brooks writes that talks between Tampa Bay and Ottawa have "subsided" and that Dallas has "re-emerged" as the favorite to get Erik Kalrsson if the Senators decide to move him "within the foreseeable future." (NY Post)
7/7/18| Larry Brooks writes that the Rangers are willing to "aid and abet" a deal between Tampa and Ottawa if Tampa is willing to provide more than a guaranteed late first round pick as a sweetener. (NY Post)
7/5/18 | 7:02PM: Darren Dreger tweets that the Rangers may be involved in Ottawa and Tampa Bay's potential Erik Karlsson deal as the Lightning need to clear cap room. (Darren Dreger)
Dreger wonders if Ryan Callahan (Two-Years and $5.8 million per) would head back to the Rangers as part of a potential deal.
The Rangers have been mentioned as a team that could help facilitate deals for teams with cap issues and Callahan's name has come up before.
Callahan, 33, is out five-months after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Teams around the NHL have been reportedly been "engaged" as a third party to help make a Karlsson to Tampa Bay trade work. (Yost)
Joe Smith says that he is also hearing Callahan's name as being "in play" to go to a third team to make a deal work.
Adam Rotter: If the Rangers get involved in this deal the first thing that has to get done is have Tampa remove the condition on their second round pick and guarantee the Rangers their first round pick next year. That is just one part of what the Rangers should get if they are bringing Ryan Callahan back and taking on his cap hit while Tampa gets Erik Karlsson. Tampa also has to send assets to Ottawa to actually acquired Karlsson, so I don't know how much else the Rangers can really get, but I think that in addition to the guaranteed first round pick they should also get, at least, a conditional pick from Tampa, maybe their 2020 3rd round pick that can become a second if they win or reach the cup. I think that a guarantee on next year's first and another mid-round pick that can become better would be enough for the Rangers to bring back their former, and possibly future, captain.