Lightning Broadcaster Bleepin' Mad Over Callahan-St. Louis Rumors

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito says the trade speculation involving Tampa Bay Lightning captain Martin St. Louis and the New York Rangers' Ryan Callahan is just a pile of you-know-what.

Esposito, who co-founded the Lightning and serves as the team's radio analyst, unleashed the profanity-laced rant during an appearance this week on the online broadcast "Next Sport Star," a popular and uncensored sports-talk show based in Toronto.

"Not one ounce of evidence," Esposito said Tuesday. "It's the same as this bulls--- about Marty St. Louis being traded to f------ New York for Callahan because he doesn't get along with (Lightning general manager Steve) Yzerman. What a bunch of s--- that is."

Here's the full video, which isn't exactly suitable for this family friendly site.

The 72-year-old former Rangers player and general manager went on to blast local hockey reporter Larry Brooks.

"(That reporter) in New York that writes for the New York Post, and we all know who he is, decided 'Let me put something out there so maybe we could start some controversy.' It's a bunch of s---, it's been going on for as long as I've been involved in the game of hockey," Esposito said, adding that Brooks "is more trouble than anybody."

WFAN co-host Boomer Esiason reported on-air Monday that there's a good shot Callahan will be traded in a straight-up deal for St. Louis.

"I like him, he's a heart-and-souler," Esposito said of Callahan. "But he couldn't score more than 25 or 30 goals in his f------ lifetime and he doesn't play all the time because he gets hurt, because he plays like he's 6-foot-5."

St. Louis has requested a trade from Tampa Bay, though options are limited as he only wants to be dealt to the Rangers, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.

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