The Neverending (Nash) Saga

By now, you know that Rick Nash wants out of Columbus.  Well, there is one thing that is standing in the way of that reality: Scott Howson, who somehow still parades around as the General Manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets.  For you basketball savants, think of this as the Dwight Howard Saga, only this time, Nash wants to go to a contender.  Okay, Howson isn't the only thing keeping Nash in a Blue Jackets uniform.  For one, there is that enormous $7.8 cap hit that the team Nash gets shipped to will have to absorb.  Who can absorb that hit?  Well, looking at some of the teams Nash wants to go to, it will require a lot of movement just to be able to absorb it, and if you're NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Detroit, or San Jose, that is a lot of salary that needs to be cleared.  The Rangers had been the front runners, but given that the young talent acquitted itself nicely in the playoffs, it's doubtful that Glen Sather will want to mess with that chemistry much.  The Flyers are also in the mix, but they need considerable salary cleared just to fit him, and where are they going to find it?  Same thing goes for San Jose, who's in worse shape than Philadelphia in the salary cap department, and they deeply need to restock the prospects cupboard.  Detroit could take it, but two things will likely kill that deal: the Red Wings are in the same division as Columbus and the Wings need a defenseman a lot more than they need a winger.  Keep in mind that these four are the prominent teams Nash has his heart set on, since there is that matter of the no-trade clause.  What is Howson wanting in return?  Some NHL ready forwards.  If I'm Howson, I would either soften those demands a little or just say some NHL ready players in general, since Columbus needs just about everything short of a puck moving defenseman (Jack Johnson says hi).

It's a mess in Columbus, and there is no way that they will be contending for anything other than perhaps the top pick in next year's draft.  Let's hope Seth Jones rubs rabbit's feet that it never has to come to that because the Blue Jackets are already misusing another Winterhawk in Ryan Johansen and the Blue Jackets need to get their pipeline back in order.