It's draft day and the Blue Jackets still don't have a dance partner that looks good enough to dance with when it comes to Rick Nash. Here are the latest on who might be willing to dance with GM Scott Howson.
The Hockey News says that the list of teams Nash is willing to go to is at 7.
We know that Nash’s list of approved teams, as it stands, is now at seven teams – the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. There was speculation the Toronto Maple Leafs were on the list at one time, but they are no longer on it.
It seems that Howson is hung up on getting Logan Couture and the Sharks won't budge on this either. This could mean that the Sharks will be over at the punch bowl with their backs turned to the Jackets. Joe Pavelski, Ryane Clowe and Jason Demers and a 1st round pick is the widely speculated package that at the time being Howson is turning his nose up to.
Ottawa Senators are late arriving to the Nash dance but based off reports are doing their best to attact Columbus with a package of offering last year’s sixth overall pick in the draft, Mika Zibanejad, former first rounder, Nick Foligno and goalie Ben Bishop. Don't think that will get Howson anymore excited than San Jose.
The one team you are hearing nothing about all of a sudden is the New York Rangers. Who most think have the best pieces to get Nash have now vanished from the talks or at lease they aren't letting it be known like they did at the deadline.
ESPN is reporting that the Boston Bruins are jumping in late.
“A lot of the work you do leading up to the trade deadline does carry over, so what I try to do also is, along those lines, is that I try to set up deals, plant seeds, set up deals at the trade deadline for the summer or for the fall,” Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli said.
In regards to the draft Howson was clear yesterday that they won't try and trade for the first overall pick but may move back out of the 2nd overall selection. Here's the reason. If the Oilers make a surprise pick of Ryan Murray with the 1st overall pick, Jackets will want to move back. They have no interest in Nail Yakupov who's skill is world class but his personality reminds them of Nik Zherdev who also had ridiculous talent but attitude melted down his career.
If they can't trade back they will most likely shock the hockey world and also make their PR team work overtime and select Alex Galchenyuk. Yakupov might have been the undisputed top prospect at the end of this season but Galchenyuk without having a leg injury in preseason could have been right there with him. After Galchenyuk make it back for the very end of the season and the playoffs for the Sarnia Sting and include his combine results, there is little question about his leg. His attitude is exactly what the Blue Jackets are looking for as he brings a lunch pail approach to the game but has a skill set that is dressed in an Armani suit.
It should be fun tonight. Make sure you listen to the HockeyBuzz Draft show above or on Eklund's page. We will have the latest from the draft concerning picks and trades that will be going down.
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