Rick Nash could very well be traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets during NHL Draft weekend, as the wheels have been in motion long before the hockey world descended upon Pittsburgh Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. But now that the principals are all in the same location, trade talks are certainly in overdrive and it seems as though things could happen sooner than later.
Darren Dreger of TSN reports that Nash's agent, Joe Resnick, will meet with Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson on Thursday afternoon. According to The Hockey News, Howson will meet with the media at 5 p.m. Could that meeting with the media mean a trade will be announced? Possible, but we'll have to wait and see.
In any case, it seems as though both Resnick and Nash are pushing for a deal at this point. Ottawa, Philadelphia and the New York Rangers are the three teams that have been rumored to be most interested in Nash, but as has been the case all along, Howson seems to be asking for a king's ransom in return for his franchise player.
Should a deal get done this weekend, it could loosen up the trade market considerably. Nash would be the first domino to fall, and once he's dealt, it could have a ripple effect that sparks movement around the rest of the league as teams look to their second and third options. Those options include Anaheim Ducks forward Bobby Ryan.