THREE REPORTS: Leafs, Rangers & Preds interested in Kessel

I've been doing my weekend reading on all sorts of websites for Kessel updates. I did find a few updates that I felt I should pass along.

It looks like a three team race for Kessel. Toronto, Nashville and the New York (Rangers) are the interested parties.

Newsday is reporting that the Rangers have legitimate interest in Kessel and they may trade disgruntled forward for disgruntled forward by packaging Brandon Dubinsky in a deal for Kessel.

The Maple Leafs appear to be in the lead in the skirmish to get Phil Kessel, Toronto Sun reports.

There is speculation that Leafs GM Brian Burke will likely pony up two first round picks, a second and a third for the 21-year-old restricted free agent.
Burke could also give the Bruins a first, second and third round pick plus one of his surplus defensemen according to the Sun. The talks have heated up between Boston and Toronto since the Boston Globe reported that Kessel is done negotiating with the Bruins.

Finally, according to the Tennessean, the Nashville Predators "Covet the Boston Bruins scorer."

Predators General Manager David Poile confirmed to the paper, as much on Friday, saying he's talked with Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli and Kessel's agent, Wade Arnott, in recent days.

"We've talked concepts,'' Poile said of his conversations with Chiarelli. "I'd be very interested to see if there might be something he would like from the Predators.''

The Predators have a lot of cap space and could certainly afford Kessel. A trade with Nashville would likely hold a draft pick and a couple of prospects.

Nashville has said that they have no interest in signing Kessel to an offer-sheet.