The "Fail For Nail" chant has been going on in central Ohio since about Halloween. It was the one thing that fans could cheer for on what became quickly a disheartening season. Word has now came out according to Marc Antoine Godin of the La Presse in Montreal that “NHL execs from three different teams told me CBJ are expected to trade their 1st round pick (likely 1st overall) at upcoming draft.” This according to Godin's twitter feed.
Excuse me! Trade the first overall pick? Right in the middle of a self admitted rebuild or reshaping depending on who you ask. Isn't that what the first overall pick does is accelerate the rebuild?
Not if you don't think your trading Rick Nash. With the comments earlier on this week by Columbus senior advisor Craig Patrick to Craig Custance of ESPN that the trading of Nash may not be a certain event.
Now let's assume that the Blue Jackets are NOT trading Rick Nash, what do they hope to get with that prized first overall selection? This all goes to the theory that Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson priced Nash to the point that no one could pay to both appease Nash's request and also buy himself time to put forth an argument to have Nash change his mind.
How you would do that is giving Nash and the Blue Jackets immediate and proven help. Nail Yakupov looks to be an impact winger but still will need to time to grow into the league. Instead if Howson can bring in a proven goaltender like a Cory Schneider from Vancouver with that pick and tweak the forwards group may be enough for Nash to reconsider his request especially after seeing what the impact of Jack Johnson addition to the defense has done.
Can the Blue Jackets do enough to change what ten years has done to the star winger? A very reliable source has let me know that the boat has sailed on that possibility but that doesn't mean that the organization that selected Nash first overall in the 2002 entry draft won't go down without a fight.
The argument could be compelling for Nash as he has already seen what just adding an elite blue liner has done and that led to a four game winning streak that the team had not experienced since 2010.
How about the Todd Richards factor. Since Richards has taken over the reigns as the interim head coach, the team has responded with a much better power play, able to close out games and an overall confidence and winning expectations that has had immediate results from a team playing for very little. Was Scott Arniel deficiencies so overwhelming that now with a coach that may not be a hall of famer but may be just the right fit for this team be enough?
Will there be other things that will go on in the background that the organization can do? One might be addressing the scouting department that really hasn't been addressed since firing Don Boyd and Bob Strumm last off season. Will more go on the forefront in replacing general manager Scott Howson with Craig Patrick or another general manager with a proven track record?
Whatever the outcome, you can believe they will go down swinging. Swings that could include trading the first overall pick. It will take drastic and organizational shifting moves to change the mind of the face of the franchise.
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
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