Rumor: Devils turned down a huge trade for Ilya Kovalchuk!

There is a stunning rumor floating around the National Hockey League, one big enough that one NHL general manager has felt the need to respond directly.

The rumor suggests that the New Jersey Devils, or more specifically general manager Ray Shero, rejected a major trade from the New York Rangers who were attempting to acquire the rights to Ilya Kovalchuk.

The Rangers reportedly offered a first round draft pick to the Devils, although it's unclear in which year that first rounder would have been, however that trade was reportedly rejected by Shero. Shero however is calling BS on that story.

“That was a lie,” said Shero as per Yahoo Sports.

“I never turned down a first-round pick. I never turned down a seventh-round pick. I never turned down anything. Why? It’s really simple: There was nothing to turn down.”

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It seems hard to believe that no team presented the Devils with any offer at all for what was arguably the best offensive star on the market this summer, and therefore it's a little difficult to take Shero at his word here. 

That being said he could very well be telling the truth, but if not fans in New Jersey will likely not be happy at the fact that they could have had a first round pick, and now have nothing to show for it instead.