7:23PM: Darren Dreger says that the Islanders have interest in Kreider but that the door for Kreider staying and extending with the Rangers “isn’t closed.”

6:10PM: Frank Seravalli wrote earlier today that the Bruins and Avalanche are believed to be the “front-runners” for Kreider with the Blues, Panthers and Capitals believed to have at least inquired. (TSN)

Elliotte Friedman wrote at Sportsnet that Jeff Gorton continues to both negotiate for an extension with Kreider and talk with teams about a potential trade. He added that the teams he believes that are interested in Kreider are the Bruins, Avs, Islanders and Blues. (Sportsnet)

On NHL Network on Tuesday, Friedman said “I think the biggest question is do the Rangers wait for Monday or do they do something in advance. You take a look at the prices being paid for players here and the prices for defensemen were pretty significant. I think the Rangers have to feel pretty comfortable in terms of what they are going to do. I think the Blues remain in on this, the Bruins remain in on this, the Avalanche remain in on this. I think the Islanders have interest but people are telling me ‘can the Rangers and the Islanders make a deal directly, is that even possible?’ So, I think they are going to do okay if they ultimately end up making the trade. There is a lot of interest. I think there was a limit on what the Bruins were willing to do with Blake Coleman, I’m not so sure they wanted to do a first rounder. I’m curious to see if they would pay that price for either Kreider who is a rental or Kyle Palmieri is not.”

Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen was injured on Monday and is expected to miss “weeks” with an upper body injury.

LA traded Tyler Toffoli on Monday to Vancouver for a 2020 second round pick, 29-year old center Tim Schaller and prospect Tyler Madden.

Adam Rotter: Colorado has made the most sense for Kreider since the two were linked last summer and that has only grown more true as they battle with injuries. Colorado has the cap space to take him and young players/prospects to make a deal work. The Avs getting Kreider also prevents the Blues from getting Kreider as those two, and Dallas, battle for first in the Central and possibly meet in the first round. St. Louis also has young players that might fit with what the Rangers are looking for, and with Jay Bouwmeester going on LTIR they might have the cap space to make it work, as long as Vladimir Tarasenko will be out until the playoffs. This might come down to Monday when the Rangers, Kreider’s agent and the teams interested in him face the actual deadline.