Rick Nash Trade Rumors: Deadline Passes, Nash Remains In Columbus

As reports swirled that multiple teams were interested in making a mega-move to acquire Rick Nash from the Blue Jackets, it was a virtual certainty that Columbus was going to be busy right until the very end of the 2012 NHL trade deadline.

Or not.

As 3:00 p.m. EST came and went yesterday, so too did the opportunity to move Nash in an effort to acquire multiple pieces that fit into the franchise's future. After unloading center Jeff Carter to the Kings just days before, it seemed that the Blue Jackets were in full sell-mode, but that proved not to be the case.

And while Nash may eventually be traded during the offseason, Columbus will now finish this regular season with a roster that includes puck-moving defenseman Jack Johnson (acquired in the Carter trade), and can look forward to the draft, which may include the top overall selection and a conditional first round pick (also included in the Carter swap).

The Carter deal was preceded by a move to acquire goalie Curtis McElhinney and two draft picks from Phoenix in exchange for forward Antoine Vermette. The Blue Jackets later shipped forward Sami Pahlsson to Vancouver for another pair of draft picks.

In all, Columbus came away with five additional draft picks in their deadline deals, which should set the team up with an opportunity to rebuild the roster through the amateur draft. Blue Jackets fans are hopeful that general manager Scott Howson can make good on those picks and guide the franchise back to the playoffs for just the second time since its inception.

For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, head to The Cannon. For more on the NHL in general, head to the SB Nation NHL hub at sbnation.com/NHL.

Well, that was anticlimactic. After weeks of speculation, the trade deadline of 3 p.m. on Monday came and went but Rick Nash was not traded and will remain a Blue Jacket.

There were plenty of teams said to be in contention for Nash's services. The Los Angeles Kings were said to be interested early before they instead took Jeff Carter from Columbus. The San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs both had deals on the table as well, and the New York Rangers were doing everything in their power to land him, but Columbus' asking price just seemed to always be just a bit too high for their superstar.

The Blue Jackets will probably try and trade Nash again during the summer, and unless they want to have a repeat of the long trading discussions from this deadline period they will lower their price for the star a bit.

For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, head to The Cannon. For more on the NHL in general, head to the SB Nation NHL hub at sbnation.com/NHL.

The trade deadline of 3 p.m. ET on Monday is quickly approaching, and Rick Nash is still a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The New York Rangers looked the easy favorites to pick him up earlier, but Columbus' asking price seemed to be far too high for the Rangers to handle and on Sunday evening they dropped themselves from the race.

Now it looks like the two teams remaining in the race for Nash are the San Jose Sharks and the Toronto Maple Leafs, two teams that have otherwise made only small splashes in the approach to the trade deadline. Columbus radio station FAN 97.1 reported early on Monday that there were two offers in from those teams. The only confirmed trade piece is Joffrey Lupel in the Toronto side of things.

Columbus' FAN 97.1 reports CBJ pondering 2 firm offers from #Sharks & #Leafs for #Nash. Latter to inc LW Joffrey Lupul #SNTRADE #TradeCentre

The asking price is obviously incredibly high from Columbus to get the services of their superstar, and for obvious reasons they want a huge return for him. With New York dropping out because of the price being so high, it's hard to say what San Jose or Toronto could offer to get Nash on their teams without breaking their own banks.

Only hours remain until the deadline, time will tell if either of those 'firm' offers are firm enough to get Columbus' attention and get Nash in a new sweater by the end of the season.

For more on Nash and the Columbus Blue Jackets, head to The Cannon. For more on the NHL in general, head to the SB Nation NHL hub.

The first big name to really be discussed when the NHL trade deadline got near was Rick Nash. The Columbus Blue Jackets have since shipped off Jeff Carter and acquired Jack Johnson, but a potential deal with Nash could still come before the deadline on Monday. Plenty of teams remain interested in acquiring the services of Nash, currently the captain of the Blue Jackets and a big fan of the area he's in and the team he plays on.

But that doesn't mean Nash doesn't want to go elsewhere, particularly to a contender. He's not in any hurry to leave Columbus, but there was always speculation that Nash would want to go somewhere with a better chance to contend, helped along by the list of teams he'd signed off on in regards to a potential trade, which included the San Jose Sharks, who are in heavy pursuit of him.

Nash's agent, Joe Resnick, has been quiet throughout all of this, but has finally spoken up. Bob McKenzie of TSN had some quotes from Resnick over Twitter (here and here):

"We're hopeful a deal can get done prior to the trade deadline that is fair and equitable for the Blue Jackets... However, if a deal is not reached, then the list of acceptable teams will not change at a later date."

His words are significant for a couple reasons. For one, Nash seemed lukewarm to the idea of a trade when this whole saga starter, talking about how much he loves the community and his teammates, but now his agent is suggesting that getting a trade done is now the priority. Until now, it seemed like a desperation move from the Blue Jackets, now it seems like Nash wants to get things over with.

For two, the second bit notes that Nash may pursue a trade once the season is over, and will keep the teams he's already approved as options. Everything can change before then, but it's certainly worth noting at this point. If Nash wants a trade in the offseason, nobody really knows how that would go because the Blue Jackets may be cleaning house to acquire a new general manager. Should be interesting, to say the least.

For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, go to The Cannon. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NHL hub at SBNation.com/NHL.

For those NHL fans that thought the trade talks surrounding Columbus Blue Jackets star forward Rick Nash were over because Jeff Carter was shipped to the Los Angeles Kings Thursday. Well, you have the wrong train of thought.

That's because according to Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch, the Blue Jackets are still willing to listen to trade offers for Nash.

Told the trade of #CBJ C Jeff Carter does not impact CBJ's willingness to trade captain Rick Nash. He's still available for right price.

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) February 24, 2012

Meanwhile, Columbus' newly acquired defensemen Jack Johnson, who was a part of the Carter deal and is a native of Indianapolis and graduate of the University of Michigan, is excited about returning to the Midwest and a fan-friendly organization.

#CBJ D Jack Johnson tells Dispatch: "I’m excited by this. I’m excited to go to a team that wants me, and to play in a great sports city...."

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) February 24, 2012

More Johnson: "I want to be part of the solution there. I know they’ve had some bad breaks and some tough seasons, but it’s going ... "

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) February 24, 2012

Portzline reported earlier that Johnson will wear jersey number seven.

For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, go to The Cannon. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NHL hub at SBNation.com/NHL.

The NHL trade deadline is fast approaching, and the big bit of news still pertains to Rick Nash. He's the big acquisition that teams are going after, and among the most interested teams are the San Jose Sharks and the New York Rangers. The latter team has been involved since the beginning of this saga, while the Sharks have only recently been linked.

More than being linked, the Sharks are considered to be in heaviest pursuit of Nash. There's talks of potential players involved, with Logan Couture being the only player truly taken off the table. The Sharks declined that Couture be used as any kind of starting point, and it makes sense given that he's not just an up-and-comer, but already developing into somewhat of a superstar on his own.

That being said, this thing could come down to the wire. If Nash is moved, Blue Jackets fans should probably expect it to go right up to the deadline, especially if the Sharks remain the major player for Nash. As noted on SB Nation Bay Area, San Jose's general manager, Doug Wilson, isn't going to be pressured into making a move based on two or three games.

Columbus may have thought they'd be helping themselves into getting the Sharks to think they need to make a move by embarrassing them in their last outing, but that's probably not the case. The Sharks aren't a team known for making big moves during the season, but they did make some pretty big moves this past offseason with the acquisition of Brent Burns and Martin Havlat. Either way, the decision won't come down to the recent string of losses by San Jose, that's for sure.

For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, go to The Cannon. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NHL hub at SBNation.com/NHL.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have had all number of different teams rumored to want to pick up Rick Nash from them including big names like the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers, but it might be a different Californian team that will be looking the hardest into grabbing the Jackets superstar.

SB Nation Bay Area brings up the fact that the Sharks are in dire need of players who can score goals if the Sharks are going to get their playoff push together and finally win the Stanley Cup that has evaded them for all of these years. It could take a player like Nash to push that team back into the contention that they've been in the past while, so the Sharks will probably be one of the big names to keep your eyes on in the next couple of days.

If not Nash, perhaps Jeff Carter could be a name to keep an eyes on for the Sharks. Someone who can score goals is needed in the bay area, and fast.

For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, go to The Cannon. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NHL hub at SBNation.com/NHL.

Columbus Blue Jackets superstar Rick Nash is unquestionably the top candidate in NHL trade deadline rumors market right now, with all sorts of teams said to be in contention for him. The Kings and Rangers appeared to be the top candidates, though recent rumors have also had the Flyers in the mix for him.

The star winger might not be leaving at all though, simply because dishing out the only real superstar that Columbus has ever known would be such a monumentally large move. If he does leave, it looks like Columbus is asking for a heck of a lot of players and draft picks for the star. Darren Dreger says as much in his Friday mailbag, talking about how confusingly complex the Nash trade talks are currently getting after a question about Columbus requiring a star goalkeeper to be involved with any trade that the Jackets make:

For those who feel that way, perhaps they're not as close to being in contention for Nash as they might wish. This is such a mammoth trade - in terms of impact on the Blue Jackets and the city of Columbus - and the complexity of establishing Nash's trade value even to the fortunate few believed to be involved, that time is a huge issue. Ten days may not be enough to swing a deal that will impact this team for years to come.

Four pieces for Nash might seem like a pretty big amount, but Nash is an absolutely proven talent even in year after year of less than good situations, and that's something you don't find much in the NHL. If there's talk of a star goalie being brought in though, perhaps the Buffalo Sabres and Ryan Miller will be the next team getting talked about as a trade partner with the Jackets. Certainly an interesting thought, even if the Sabres might not have three other pieces that they could send out with Miller.

For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, go to The Cannon. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NHL hub at SBNation.com/NHL.

The rumors continue to swirl regarding the Columbus Blue Jackets and their captain, Rick Nash. All indications are that the woeful Columbus performance this season has led to the team shopping their star player in order to rebuild for the future.

The latest bit of information regarding these rumors comes from Jimmy Murphy at ESPN Boston. Murphy reported on Sunday that the Jackets had been in talks with the Boston Bruins regarding a potential trade, but their asking price may have been too rich for the Bruins to entertain. Columbus through that Nash might be able to fetch them goaltender Tuukka Rask.

Rask is a 24-year-old Finnish player who has been in the Bruins system since 2007. He currently serves as the backup for starter Tim Thomas, but it is clear that the Bruins have big future plans for Rask, or at the very least feel they can get more than Nash in exchange for the goalie.

For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, go to The Cannon. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NHL hub at SBNation.com/NHL.

On Thursday, a list came out, a list of teams that were potential suitors for acquiring the services of Rick Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets before the NHL trade deadline. The New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks are teams who are all interested, and Nash signed off on all them, waiving his no-movement clause - save for the Canucks. So with that team eliminated, who are pursuing him the most?

Well, the top two suitors are the aforementioned Rangers and Kings. The former was the first team linked to Nash at all, while the latter is struggling to overtake the division rival Sharks. That's where it gets really interesting, as two divisional teams both going after the same player could mean a higher price paid to the Blue Jackets. There's a lot to consider regarding a potential trade with San Jose, but the divisional rival factor could make them want to get a deal done.

It's worth noting, though, that the Kings and Rangers are considered "Plan A" right now, with the Sharks being a secondary option. With the Kings throwing around names like Jonathan Bernier and Jack Johnson, it will be interesting to see if they have the leverage to get ahead of the Rangers. Either way, it's very clear that multiple teams are taking a run at Nash, though some are doing more than others.

For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, go to The Cannon. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NHL hub at SBNation.com/NHL.

Rick Nash is the big topic around the league when it comes to the NHL trade deadline. Most teams who could be interested in making any kind of trade have had articles written about the possibility of interest in Nash, with two substantial teams in particular: the New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks.

Though Nash has a no-movement clause in his contract, he's already signed off on the Rangers as a potential destination, but it looks as though the possibility of Vancouver was short-lived, according to the Vancouver Sun's Elliott Pap on Twitter:

Nucks not on Rick Nash's 'approved list', says Columbus writer Aaron Portzline. The five are: Leafs, Bruins, NYR, Sharks, Kings. #canucks

It was considered a long shot for the Canucks anyway, considering the high price of Nash and the money they already have committed to their own star players. It's also significant because it lists some teams that haven't been given significant consideration, like the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings.

Even more worthy of note is the fact that the list includes some bad teams along with some good things, meaning that Nash isn't necessarily looking for a place he can go to win immediately, so that opens things up a little in regards to the no-trade clause.

For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, go to The Cannon. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NHL hub at SBNation.com/NHL.

Rick Nash’s name continues to be bandied about as one of, if not the, prized commodities of the NHL trading season.

Nash, who has 18 goals and 21 assists for the last-place Blue Jackets, has been linked to a number of teams, the New York Rangers among them. In this post over at Blueshirt Banter, Joe Fortunato writes that Columbus’ asking price may be too high for the Rangers:

It’s become clear that general manager Scott Howson wants a goaltender in return.

The New York Rangers aren’t exactly bursting at the seams with NHL-ready goaltenders (at least none Sather would be willing to move). If that happens to be a must when it comes to Howson trading Nash, then the Rangers are, in all likelihood, out of the bidding.

Same could be true for the Canucks. According to the National Post:

[Nash] isn’t coming to Vancouver before the National Hockey League dealing deadline because the price for Nash, both in trade and as a US$7.8-million salary-cap hit, are prohibitively expensive.

Detroit, too, has been discussed as part of the Nash sweepstakes. CBS’ Detroit affiliate published this article about whether or not the Wings could make a play:

I don’t know for a fact, but if Detroit were to actually get Nash, I assume prospect Brendan Smith, Valteri Filpula, Gustav Nyquist, and Darren Helm or Justin Abdelkader would be involved. Would you be willing to give that up? I wouldn’t!

Surely there will be no shortage of speculation as the Feb. 27 trade deadline nears.

For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, go to The Cannon. You can also head over to SB Nation’s main NHL hub at SBNation.com/NHL.

Though it's perfectly feasible that the Columbus Blue Jackets want to keep Rick Nash, pay him his salary and enjoy his high level of play, they could still be shopping him around, looking for potential ways to improve. There's plenty of rumors swirling around regarding a potential trade before the February 27 deadline, but whether the Blue Jackets are shopping him or other teams are inquiring about him, there's no doubting that there's teams talking if Columbus is willing to listen.

According to the New York Post, one team in particular is now known: the New York Rangers. There have reportedly been some preliminary talks regarding Nash and a potential trade, which apparently have gone far enough to include talks of specific players and picks:

The Post had been told the opening asking price for the 6-4, 220-pounder who has spent his entire career with the Blue Jackets following his first-overall selection in the 2002 Entry Draft is in excess of the package speculated to be Brandon Dubinsky, Boston College can't-miss prospect Chris Kreider and a first-round draft choice.

The article goes on to note potential problems with this trade for the Rangers, though it's unlikely this actually reflects the asking price for the Blue Jackets, who are in a pretty high position of power. The only thing limiting that position of power is the fact that Nash has a no-trade clause in his contract, which means the Blue Jackets can't pick where to send him. They can, of course, trade him to another team if he signs off on it, but that does potentially limit their power.

According to The Columbus Dispatch, the Blue Jackets met last week to discuss the possibility of trading Nash. They also had some quotes from Nash, who makes it clear that he is fond of where he is right now and that he wants to focus on hockey:

"The last couple of weeks there have been so many rumors," Nash said, "and when a team loses, more rumors keep on surfacing. That's it seems to be right now, is just rumors. I'm a Blue Jacket right now. I've played my whole career here and it's a special place to me. So as of right now I'm a Blue Jacket."

This is often the norm for a player potentially on the trade block, because if a trade doesn't surface and they've already went public about wanting to be moved, it could cause a rift with the original team. Still, Nash has played with Columbus his entire career and it's pretty clear he means what he says when he says it's a special place to him.

For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, go to The Cannon. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NHL hub at SBNation.com/NHL.