On Monday afternoon, the proposed deal between the New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets centered around disgruntled captain Rick Nash was formally reviewed and approved by the NHL making the deal official, according to several outlets.
The final deal will see the Blue Jackets sending Nash, minor-league defenseman Steve Delisle and a conditional third-round draft pick (which goes back to Columbus if the Rangers reach the Stanley Cup Final) in exchange for forwards Artem Anisimov, Brandon Dubinsky, 21-year old defenseman Tim Erixon and a first-round selection in the 2013 NHL Draft.
With mixed reviews about the deal coming out from every major outlet, here is what SB Nation's Blue Jackets blog, The Cannon, had to say about the return:
At first I was underwhelmed, but the more I think about it, the more I like the deal, given the circumstances. I feel for Howson, he was in a terrible position from the get-go, and did well to add players that can help the team win now, and assets to help the team in the future. It remains to be seen what kind of impact a player who recently held-out, a player who demanded a trade from the team that drafted him, a young Russian and a late first rounder will have, but if nothing else, it feels good to have the Rick Nash saga come to a close.
For more on the Columbus Blue Jackets, go to The Cannon. You can check out more hockey news from around the league at SB Nation's NHL page.
