2012 NHL Draft: Columbus Blue Jackets Could Trade No. 2 Pick

With the NHL draft quickly approaching, there are loads of solid talents that are going to be on the board for the Columbus Blue Jackets, who hold the No. 2 overall selection in the draft after their dismal year in 2011. If a report from AOL SportingNews is to be believed though, the Blue Jackets might not ever get a chance to use that pick because GM Scott Howson could be thinking of trading it:

"We've certainly listened to people," Howson told Sportsnet 960 The Fan on Thursday. "We've had a couple of expressions of interest on the pick in terms of moving down. We wouldn't want to move too far down so we'll just see how it plays out next week. Traditionally, and if history repeats itself, teams get a little more serious about exchanging picks as we get closer to the draft on the draft floor."

Big trades are certainly nothing new to Howson, who made some draft exchanges back in the 2011 draft and also engineered the big trade that put Jeff Carter in Los Angeles, where he won the Stanley Cup. The Blue Jackets received a first round pick from the Kings in that trade, but can choose to wait until next year to claim it. That would make sense considering they will have the last pick in the first round after winning the cup.

The draft will be held in Pittsburgh on June 22 and 23.

For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, head over to The Cannon. More news and analysis on the upcoming NHL Draft as well as the entire world of hockey can be found over at SB Nation's dedicated NHL hub.