Rick Nash is not a Ranger. He's not a Shark. He's not a Flyer or a Leaf or Predator or anything other than the captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The biggest trade of the NHL trade deadline never came to pass, as GM Scott Howson held on to the star winger after the Jackets asked him to waive his no-trade clause weeks earlier.
There were suitors and there were offers — the New York Rangers made a massive one, according to Darren Dreger — but Nash remains in Columbus. Which is awkward.
I've read a lot of missives Monday from the sympathy brigade for Nash. That the team came to him, asked him to waive his no-trade clause, submit a list of teams and move on from the only organization he's ever known; and since this didn't happen, Nash was somehow wronged.
[Related: NHL trade deadline tracker analyzes every deal]
There's no question Nash was put in an uncomfortable situation, and he made a difficult choice. But he could have said "no." By saying yes, he agreed to enter into the process; the Blue Jackets, by asking him, didn't guarantee a trade by any means possible. It guaranteed they'd try to move him for the betterment of the franchise.
Let's dial it back to when news leaked that Nash was on the block. From Aaron Portzline of the Dispatch:
Last week, the Blue Jackets' brass -- owner John P. McConnell, president Mike Priest, Howson, senior advisor Craig Patrick, interim coach Todd Richards and perhaps others -- met to discuss the club's plans as it heads toward the deadline. In that meeting, it was determined that the possibility of trading Nash needed to be explored.
In the days that followed, the Blue Jackets met with Nash and/or his agent, Joe Resnick, where the plan was presented. Nash, who has a no-movement clause for this season and the three following seasons, would have to approve any trade.
"It was determined that the possibility of trading Nash needed to be explored." Whether the Jackets didn't feel the offers were enough or whether they've made another decision on Nash, it's their decision to make and Nash's to confirm or deny.
We'll update with Howson's comments later.
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