Rick Nash Stays With Columbus Blue Jackets As NHL Trade Deadline Passes

Rick Nash didn't leave the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2012 NHL Trade Deadline, but in general manager Scott Howson's address about an hour past the 3 p.m. ET deadline on Monday, he dropped a bombshell: Nash requested the trade.

Howson didn't reveal this in an answer to a question during the press conference. He said it as part of his own remarks, a detail that should not be ignored. In coming out and calculating such an announcement -- an announcement that was completely counter to the conventional wisdom surrounding the entire Rick Nash trade speculation at this deadline -- he's clearly shifting the focus back on his star player.

Now, as Nash continues the rest of the season with the Blue Jackets, he'll have to answer questions about wanting out. Howson, meanwhile, can defend his stance of refusing to trade his star player without getting the proper return for him. The general manager mentioned several times that the asking price was extremely high for Nash, adding that it "had to be high."

Nash might still be a Blue Jacket, but it doesn't appear as though he'll still be in Columbus come October.

For more on the NHL trade deadline, check in with our comprehensive StoryStream. For more on Rick Nash, check in with Blue Jackets blog The Cannon.

Suddenly on Sunday afternoon, just a day before the 2012 NHL Trade Deadline, the Nashville Predators popped up as a potential trade destination for Columbus Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash. The Predators certainly are interested in the forward, but a deal doesn't make sense for a lot of reasons.

For starters, Nash holds a no-movement clause and has to approve any trade. He's reportedly given Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson a list of teams to which he'd accept a trade, and there's a strong possibility that Nashville is not on that list. Besides, if Howson were to send Nash to a team in the division, he'd have to face him head-to-head six times a season. That doesn't seem like a smart move.

The Predators are adamant that they're on healthy financial footing and that they're willing to spend in order to win the Stanley Cup. By holding on to defensemen Ryan Suter and Shea Weber, and by acquiring Hal Gill and Andrei Kostistyn ahead of the deadline, the commitment to winning this season is tangible. But even for a team that spends to the salary cap, adding Nash's $7.8 million salary might not be a wise move.

That's just another reason why a Nash trade to Nashville doesn't make all that sense. (But on the flip side, think of the NASHville puns we're missing out on. Shame.)

You can get team-by-team coverage of the 2012 NHL trade deadline from around our network of hockey blogs. For more on the news, rumors and speculation surrounding the trade deadline, subscribe to our StoryStream.

It appears as though Rick Nash won't be a member of the New York Rangers, at least not at the 2012 NHL Trade Deadline. According to a report from ESPN New York, Glen Sather has made the determination that Scott Howson and the Columbus Blue Jackets are simply asking too much for the services of their captain, and he's not willing to pay up.

It has been widely reported that the Blue Jackets are asking for an NHL player, a top prospect and a first-round draft pick, and the Rangers have been at the forefront of the rumors and speculation that have surrounded the Nash sweepstakes for weeks. It seemed like they were willing to pay for Nash, and there's always the possibility that they're simply posturing less than 24 hours before the deadline in hopes that Howson could lower the asking price.

But that doesn't seem likely, and if the Rangers truly are not involved in the trade talks anymore, the chances grow that Howson could simply hold on to Nash at the deadline.

You can get team-by-team coverage of the 2012 NHL trade deadline from around our network of hockey blogs. For more on the news, rumors and speculation surrounding the trade deadline, subscribe to our StoryStream.

If the Columbus Blue Jackets are to trade Rick Nash at the 2012 NHL Trade Deadline, it makes sense that they'd attempt to fill their biggest need in the process. They do not have a goaltender and they could really use one. Hey, there are teams in the NHL that have young, capable backup goaltenders that Columbus would love.

Cory Schneider in Vancouver and Jonathan Bernier in Los Angeles top the list, but Anders Lindback in Nashville and Tuukka Rask in Boston are also some of the young goaltenders who have a lot of promise and could flourish if given a starting job in Columbus. According to the Columbus Dispatch, however, it doesn't look as though any of those players could move at the deadline -- to the Blue Jackets or any other team.

Few clubs have two goaltenders who could be considered NHL starters - Boston, Nashville, Vancouver and, maybe, Los Angeles. If those teams are even willing to listen to offers, the asking price could be astronomical.

"It's a tough market right now," one NHL source told The Dispatch. "If you want one of those guys, you have to pay the ransom."

For these teams, it makes sense that they'd be uncomfortable with a trade of a highly-touted goaltender at the deadline. In Boston's case, it seems silly entertaining the notion that Rask could be available considering Tim Thomas' age and the fact that Rask could certainly be the goalie of their future. Each of these teams are deep in the playoff mix as well, and while these are backup goaltenders we're talking about here, having that insurance in case of injury is always a smart proposition heading into the postseason.

It seems as though a Rick Nash trade in the summer makes more sense than it does right now at the deadline, simply because the market will open up so much more and Scott Howson might be able to get that goaltender he so desperately needs. That doesn't mean the Rangers or some other team won't blow him away with an offer he can't refuse before Monday at 3 p.m., however.

You can get team-by-team coverage of the 2012 NHL trade deadline from around our network of hockey blogs. For more on the news, rumors and speculation surrounding the trade deadline, subscribe to our StoryStream.

We're just about 48 hours ahead of the 2012 NHL Trade Deadline now, and the Rick Nash trade rumors are picking up even more steam. Yes, the New York Rangers are the front-runners. Still.

Glen Sather's trade of Wojtek Wolski on Saturday afternoon freed up approximately $3.8 million in cap space for the Rangers, which could give them the necessary wiggle room to take on Nash's $7.8 million cap hit, depending on exactly what would be going back to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a potential deal.

That's the point of concern for Rangers fans. One report claimed that prospect Tim Erixon, a first-round pick and one of either Ryan McDonagh or Michael Del Zotto could be the deal for Nash, which would fall in line with Scott Howson's reported asking price for his franchise player.

But that seems like a curious deal from the Rangers perspective, considering the strength and depth of their defense has been perhaps their most impressive quality of their ascent to the top of the Eastern Conference this season. Losing one of two young defensemen who have been vital parts of that success and are clear parts of the future of the Rangers blueline would be an extremely high price to pay. Throw in the organization's best defensive prospect in Erixon and the potential deal makes you even more curious.

That doesn't mean a trade of Erixon doesn't make sense at all. It's a high price to pay, but anybody attempting to acquire Nash is going to pay for him, and considering the Maple Leafs and Sharks are also interested in Nash's services, the Rangers have to be the high bidder here. With prospect Chris Kreider reportedly off the table, Erixon might just have to be part of a deal if Sather wants to get it done.

You can get team-by-team coverage of the 2012 NHL trade deadline from around our network of hockey blogs. For more on the news, rumors and speculation surrounding the trade deadline, subscribe to our StoryStream.

Add another team to the Rick Nash trade discussions. The San Jose Sharks are interested in the Columbus Blue Jackets captain and, according to TSN, they're expected to stay interested until Monday's trade deadline. Via Darren Dreger:

The San Jose Sharks are emerging as a strong contender for Rick Nash. Sources say Columbus initially targeted Logan Couture, but was quickly told that was a non-starter. But, make no mistake, San Jose will stay in the mix until Monday's deadline.

It makes sense that Doug Wilson isn't willing to give up Couture, just as it makes sense that Scott Howson would go after Couture, a Calder Trophy candidate just a year ago.

Dreger reports that the Sharks would prefer an offseason deal, which also makes sense to a certain extent for Howson and the Blue Jackets considering the market in general could have more of an appetite for Nash in the summer. Wilson is still interested, however, and the temptation of Nash on a line with Joe Thornton in the upcoming playoffs could be too much to resist.

If a trade happens though, Sharks blog Fear The Fin doesn't want to see Joe Pavelski go the other way.

In essence, he's a player who gives you immense value in all three situations-- even strength, power play, penalty kill-- and has a game that transitions extremely well into the postseason when quality of competition picks up and teams begin to throw numerous looks your way. There's nothing here not to like, too much here not to love, and his affordable contract (right there with Marc-Edouard Vlasic's for best on the team) is something that magnifies that ten fold.

Nash doesn't get you that bang for the buck even if he's a more talented player than Pavelski.

You can get team-by-team coverage of the 2012 NHL trade deadline from around our network of hockey blogs. For more on the news, rumors and speculation surrounding the trade deadline, subscribe to our StoryStream.

Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson spent the weekend meeting with several of the major players in every big trade negotiation -- not just that for star forward Rick Nash. Toronto Maple Leafs general manager had an "unscheduled meeting" with Howson in New York on Sunday, while Howson took in yet another game in Philadelphia Saturday, meeting with Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren.

It doesn't seem like Philadelphia is all that interested at this point, but the Rangers and Leafs could certainly be players, as could the Los Angeles Kings and several other teams that could use the scoring punch.

The Columbus Dispatch believes Howson also met with Rangers general manager Glen Sather on Sunday at Madison Square Garden, but it doesn't seem like anything is on the immediate horizon seven days before the Feb. 27 trade deadline.

"As you get closer to the deadline, you start to have more certainty about what teams are thinking and you start to be able to define things with more clarity," Howson said.

Are things clearing up?

"Not enough, because we haven't done a deal," said Howson, who refused to comment on Nash or any other Blue Jackets player who potentially could be traded.

The Jackets are listening. It still doesn't make sense for them to make a move unless they're blown away by an offer, but of course, it's possible a team does that over the course of the next week.

You can get team-by-team coverage of the 2012 NHL trade deadline from around our network of hockey blogs. For more on the news, rumors and speculation surrounding the trade deadline, subscribe to our StoryStream.

The Philadelphia Flyers are in the trade mix Columbus Blue Jackets captain and forward Rick Nash.

Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson and senior adviser Craig Patrick attended Saturday's Flyers game and Howson spoke to Flyers GM Paul Holmgren, according to CSNPhilly.com.

The two were there not only to gauge the Flyers' interest but also as scouts to see who they might be interested in acquiring via trade.

Forwards Sean Couturier, Brayden Schenn, James van Riemsdyk and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky could all be part of the discussion, according to CSNPhilly.com.

Nash, 27, has 39 points (18 G, 21 A) in 58 games this season. Nash is slated to make $7.8 million per year until 2018, which means the Flyers will need to create salary cap space to make the move, mostly due to the $7.5 million they have invested in Bobrovsky and Ilya Bryzgalov, who carries a $5.667 million cap hit through 2020.

You can get team-by-team coverage of the 2012 NHL trade deadline from around our network of hockey blogs, with CBJ-specific coverage from The Cannon. For more on the news, rumors and speculation surrounding the trade deadline, subscribe to our StoryStream.

The Rick Nash trade talks are getting more interesting with each passing day, but that doesn't mean we're any closer to a resolution or a completed trade for the Columbus Blue Jackets captain. General manager Scott Howson continues to listen to potential suitors for Nash's services, but it's still evident that he's not going to ship off his franchise player without getting a ton of value in return.

So far, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie, two teams are making strong runs at Nash. Here's what McKenzie had to say on television Thursday night regarding one of those teams.

Two strong suitors have very much emerged for Rick Nash, and that would start with the Los Angeles Kings. Here's an organization that desperately needs goal scoring from the wings and Rick Nash would provide that. They've gotta be the most interested team, the highest motivated team, they've gotta get goal scoring. They have big chips to play. Jonathan Bernier the net minder, defenseman Jack Johnson. No one will work harder to make this deal happen.

The other team making a hard push are the New York Rangers, but McKenzie reports that Michael Del Zotto is just one of the pieces Howson and the Blue Jackets would like in return. It's understandable that the Rangers might not want to move around pieces of their roster, which currently sits well ahead of the Boston Bruins for first place in the Eastern Conference standings. Howson would also ask for several prospects, including Chris Kreider, J.T. Miller and Tim Erixon. Glen Sather and the Rangers have the assets, but it's unknown how much they're willing to give up.

Toronto, San Jose, Vancouver, Philadelphia and St. Louis are also teams that have sniffed around, according to TSN, but it's unknown if they're as interested as the Kings and Rangers or if they have the assets and the ability to pull of a deal.

With so many teams involved, however, it's holding up other deals around the league. The Kings aren't going to move a guy like Jack Johnson without knowing what's going on with Rick Nash, and that's how you get grid lock. This was shaping up to be a quiet deadline season, but all the sudden, two trades have already been completed and it's looking like a ton of moves could come down to the wire on deadline day.

You can get team-by-team coverage of the 2012 NHL trade deadline from around our network of hockey blogs. For more on the news, rumors and speculation surrounding the trade deadline, subscribe to our StoryStream.

If there's one major need for the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2012 NHL trade deadline, it's that of a goaltender. A legitimate, strong, young, NHL goaltender who can man the pipes in Columbus for at least the next five years, if not longer.

If general manager Scott Howson decides to trade Rick Nash, their star captain and the face of their franchise, should getting that goaltender in return be the priority? Jackets blog The Cannon believes it should:

The Jackets will be replacing Steve Mason. The free agent market is thin on goalies this off-season, and even if they have their eye on a player, the chance of signing them without grossly overpaying is slim. Remember the Mike Commodore and Kristian Huselius contracts?

So it makes the most sense to find a goalie by trade, and who would command a better return than Rick Nash? Of teams rumored to have interest in Nash, the Kings could offer Jonathan Bernier and the Canucks could pick their future with Roberto Luongo or Cory Schneider. Both teams also have some defensemen that would interest the Jackets and could certainly include a pick or prospect as both teams have their eyes on the Stanley Cup.

Schneider or Bernier or even Sergei Bobrovsky in Philadelphia would all be solid options for the Blue Jackets, and probably in that order too. The only question would be a) what else would Columbus demand those teams give up, and b) would Nash, who has a no-trade clause in his pocket, accept a trade to those cities?

Unanswered, as of now.

You can get team-by-team coverage of the 2012 NHL trade deadline from around our network of hockey blogs. For more on the news, rumors and speculation surrounding the trade deadline, subscribe to our StoryStream.

An NHL trade deadline deal is apparently possible for Columbus Blue Jackets star Rick Nash, and as always, when a big name comes up as a potential trade piece, the New York Rangers are rumored to be in the mix. That's only more extreme this season, of course, considering the Rangers are the best team in the Eastern Conference and look poised for a deep playoff run.

Could Nash's presence help them? Certainly, but will it be worth giving up the ransom that CBJ general manager Scott Howson will demand? Here's Rangers blog Blueshirt Banter:

Nash is slated to make $7.8 million a year until 2018. That's a hefty contract, and one that would require some movements if the Rangers wanted to fit him under the cap (currently the Rangers have just over $1.5 million in cap space).

The salary can, incidentally, be shed in the trade itself, depending on what Columbus would actually want. If Brandon Dubinsky ($4.2 million) and Wojtek Wolski ($3.8 million) were involved, then the Rangers would free up $8 million in space, actually saving the team $200K in cap space.

...

Obviously Wolski and Dubinsky alone wouldn't get the deal done. Some combination of Chris Kreider, Christian Thomas, Matt Zuccarello and other picks or players would need to be involved.

Would that be a fair deal? You almost have to think that Columbus would want even more than that for Nash, who has been their franchise player for more than a decade. "Other picks" likely translates to "a high draft pick" considering Howson absolutely doesn't have to sell Nash at this deadline. He'd be silly not to take offers, but unless he's absolutely blown away by one of those offers, there's zero reason to trade him at all.

You can get team-by-team coverage of the 2012 NHL trade deadline from around our network of hockey blogs, with CBJ-specific coverage from The Cannon. For more on the news, rumors and speculation surrounding the trade deadline, subscribe to our StoryStream.