The NHL trade deadline is quickly approaching us -- it falls on February 27th this season -- and free agency/trade rumors are going to continue to swirl right up until the bitter end, though not in a good way for the Columbus Blue Jackets. The worst team in the league still have their only constant star Rick Nash keeping them company, but not much else to show past him.
In that regard, it makes perfect sense that the Jackets will likely be shopping Nash around so that they can get something, anything, of value for him and improve their awful team in the midst of such an awful season. A goalkeeper is a likely target for them with Steve Mason continuing his sub-par year, but whatever they get, they need something tangible to improve their current fortunes. Draft picks just might not do for the Jackets.
There's a couple of other players on the trading block for the Blue Jackets like R.J. Umberger, Derick Brassard and Antoine Vermette but the star of the crop and the only player that will likely get a worthy return for Columbus is their captain.
The Jackets will probably be in the news simply because of Nash for the next while. It's probably not going to be an overly happy newscycle for Blue Jackets fans, but then again when in the past few years has there been a good one?
Early rumors have included the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks as locations where Nash could possibly end up. Both teams have talented, expendable goalkeepers who could be traded for the star.
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