Scouts watching the Blue Jackets, Kings

Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch reports that a number of scouts took in the Thursday game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings.

Eight scouts to be more perceives, from the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, two each for the Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins, and one each for Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks.

Of note was the presence of Rick Kehoe of the Rangers and Gordie Roberts of the Canadiens.

The Blue Jackets and Rangers were rumored to be working on a deal during the Christmas holiday and leading up to the New Year. Players mentioned included Blue Jackets forwards Jason Chimera and David Vyborny and defensemen Adam Foote and Rostislav Klesla, and Rangers forward Petr Prucha and defensemen Marek Malik and Paul Mara.

One name that could be scratched from that list may be that of Vyborny’s, as he is currently nursing a groin injury and was out of the line-up. The Rangers may have someone else in mind.

As for the Canadiens, an oversea report suggested that the Blue Jackets may be sending forward Sergei Fedorov to the Canadiens. Portzline suggests that trading Fedorov may make more sense closer to the February 26 trade deadline than now.

According to Portzline, it’s unlikely these scouts were on an “advance scouting” assignment where teams send their personnel to watch upcoming opponents.

It’s possible that some of the clubs whose scouts were present at the game perceive the “the Kings and Blue Jackets to be sellers at the trade deadline and they’re just doing their homework.”