Dater’s Daily: Are Rangers Angling For Patrick Kane? NHL News and Trade Rumors

Happy Hump Day to all. A very pleasant day here in T-Town – overcast skies, temps in the low 60s. Perfect weather for an old red-headed man who doesn’t like heat. I’m fine with plenty of sun, but not super hot heat. I got more than a few bad sunburns as a kid, including one in which my mom had to cut a shirt off me, because just moving it slightly against my burned skin would  induce shrieking howls. … Let’s do some NHL notes, quotes and links and whatever flotsam and jetsam comes into my aged brain, starting with speculation the New York Rangers are plotting to make a run at Patrick Kane:

• Larry Brooks thinks the Rangers’ acquisition of first-round picks of late might be a good sign that they will go hard after Patrick Kane when/if the Blackhawks decide to move him. (NY Post)
• I think so too, though I’m sure there will be plenty of competition. You wonder, too, if Kane might not just want to go back home to Buffalo, as the Sabres are starting to get better.
• And, yes, I still think the Avalanche will want to at least kick some tires if they know Kane is available. It would have to be a deadline deal, as the Avs would have to clear some major cap space otherwise.
• Say hi to our newest site, Dallas Hockey Now (Dallas Hockey Now)
• I still think about what almost was from time to time. I was offered the Stars beat in 1999 by a major newspaper there. If I hadn’t just met my still-wife, who is from Colorado and didn’t want to move to Dallas, I would have taken it. I remember how overbearing the heat was, though, when I interviewed for the job in the summer. Added with the humidity, it was just unbearable.
• Jon Gruden hoping to make it with the Penguins. No, not that one (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)
• Why Zdeno Chara decided to finally hang up his skates (Boston Hockey Now)
• Nice tribute to the just-retired PK Subban (Yahoo)
• My hunch: Subban will be lured out of retirement at some point this season
• Three players the Flyers might target if Sean Couturier is out a long time (Philly Hockey Now)
• The Avalanche remain the favorites, or whatever, to win the next Stanley Cup (SuperBook Colorado)
• Want $5 off a full-year subscription to Colorado Hockey Now? Use the promo code word 5off in the easy checkout box, and your price will drop from $29.99 to $24.99 (Checkout box)
• Turns out Andrew Copp needed abdominal surgery over the summer, but he shouldn’t miss much regular-season time with the Red Wings (Detroit Hockey Now)
• Get ready to see a lot of gold on the Golden Knights this season (Vegas Hockey Now)