[kristianhay]

As per Lebrun, Kesler never really formally made a trade request.

As a couple of front-office sources from other teams told me Thursday, it was bound to come out at some point that the Vancouver Canucks were feeling out the market on Ryan Kesler.

Secrets just don't keep in this business.

It doesn't sound as though Kesler actually made a formal trade request at any time, although it was clearly indicated a change of scenery could benefit both the player and the team; so perhaps semantics, if anything else.

The bottom line:
• A number of NHL teams have gotten calls from the Canucks on Kesler as well as vice-versa;
• The price is "significantly high," says one Western Conference source. "Really high. And I guess I can't blame them," says a different source.
• The Canucks have made it clear to other teams that they don't feel the need to move him before Wednesday's deadline, that they're more than happy to pick this up again in June if their price isn't met. Or never move him at all if their price is never met.
• Kesler is signed for two more seasons, which means if you're trading for him now, you've got three more playoffs out of the gritty, two-way star. And at $5 million a year, he's below market value.

So, yeah, the Canucks are asking teams a for a lot. As they should be.

And let's remember the bigger picture here. I wrote back on Feb. 4 about what I had heard was a decision by the Canucks to reshape their roster after years of being a top contender, that the time had come to get younger assets in return for veteran players. Basically, outside of the Sedin twins, all bets were off.

So, this Kesler news is very much part and parcel of that bigger picture.

The Wings? The Columbus Blue Jackets? Heck, you have to figure a good dozen teams will take a long, hard look at Kesler between now and Wednesday. There's no bigger prize on the market, given that he's not a rental.