NHL trade deadline: Ryan Kesler may want trade from Cancuks

Ask, and ye maybe will receive, if your team's GM can make it happen in a week. This is the lesson we're learning this trade deadline, where it seems that more than usual, franchise cornerstones are asking to be dealt. Initially it was Martin St. Louis asking to be dealt from the Lightning (and only to the New York Rangers, so good luck there, Yzerman). Now we can add the Vancouver Canucks' Ryan Kesler is asking for a trip out of Vancouver.

He has two years left on his contract at $5 million a year, which is a steep price. He also broke a finger during the Olympics stopping an Ilya Kovalchuk slapshot, but he's just day to day. The big question is though, does he really want out? His agent seems to disagree with the insiders on that.

Speculation like this doesn't come out of the blue, usually. Vancouver has been very much below their standard level of play this season, and coach John Tortorella isn't for everyone. Whoever is sniffing the tires on the discontented Kesler is going to have to be prepared to give up a good bit to get him, plus take on his large salary.

I guess you can cross the Blues off of that list - the team probably could use another center, but not for whatever the asking price here will be.