Rick Nash Mania
February 14th, 2012, 3:38 pm
But I want to know the way to San Jose, Mommy!
It appears Columbus star winger, Rick Nash, has been officially posted on the auction block. I’m honestly shocked that the BJ’s are going to let what appears to be a lame duck GM in Scott Howson make the biggest move in franchise history, trading away their only star player and star draft pick. That makes no sense to me at all. Howson has had one year of success with this team and the rest has been pure famine. Now…he can’t control injuries, but he can control who they draft and so far, under his watch, they haven’t produced Jack or Squat.
The return for Rick Nash needs to be stunning, like Kate Upton!! or something that remakes the outlook of this franchise in the short term and the long term. The team on the other end is getting a star player that is signed for the long haul. Columbus needs to look no further for a blueprint on this deal than the trade they made to acquire Jeff Carter and the trade LA made to acquire Mike Richards.
To Flyers: Jakub Voracek, 2011 1st round pick (#8 overall/Sean Couturier) and a 3rd rounder.
To BJs: Jeff CarterTo Flyers: Wayne Simmonds, Brayden Schenn (their top position prospect) and a mystery pick.
To Kings: Mike Richards
They are very good players, Carter and Richards. Nash is a two time 40 goal scorer, a Rocket Richard winner, a former overall 1st round pick and a multi-gold medal winning athlete for Canada. The price will be more than what is listed above for the Cheesesteak Twins. The Blue Jackets should require a top NHL ready prospect or a top ten pick and a quality, young NHL 2nd line forward signed to a cap friendly deal and another very strong, close to NHL ready player in this deal.
That having been said, this is Scott Howson. He could screw the whole thing up, Wile E. Coyote style and run into a hole in a painted mountain. Would be a perfect final chapter.
Where am I going with this? Well, both ESPN Cross Checks Blog and Craig Custance discussed the San Jose Sharks as a potential landing spot for Rick Nash, given his desire to win and his friendship with a certain shirtless Jumbo Joe. (No mention of his recent tiffs with Danny Boyle, but I’m thinking that could be patched pretty quickly over a Blue Moon. Derek Brassard is a wuss anyways).
Would we want Rick Nash? Of course. We’re not loco pants …but can we pay the price, or does it even make sense to pay it? The Sharks can’t offer a prospect like Brayden Schenn. We have no such player in our system – but Columbus will demand an NHL sure thing in this deal. They must.We will have a mid-high 20’s first round pick. Not a ton of value in a big deal like this – not for Rick Nash. They need players with a track record of some kind.
After talking it over with Mike, here is the Dudes on Hockey guess at what it would take for the Sharks to land Rich Nash:
To Columbus: Joe Pavelski (in place of a Brayden Schenn type signed long term),Jamie McGinn
Justin Braun (top NHL ready D prospect),Their pick of Tyson Sexsmith, Harri Sateri or Alex Stalock.To San Jose: Rick Nash and Samuel Pahlsson
No thanks.
This isn’t going to be a Doug Wilson fleecing situation. Any GM is going to have to give up a ransom to land Rick Nash, and while he would look smooth on Jumbo’s wing, we should just put the thought out of our pretty little heads and hope he ends up kicking it on the East Coast and far away from our conference. LA could offer a package around Jonathan Bernier and Jack Johnson. VAN could offer Corey Schneider and Alexandre Burrows for starters.
He will go somewhere. Just not Silicon Valley. Let’s focus up on Paul Gaustad kids.
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Agreed, and looking at Joe Pavelski’s season from a scoring chance perspective (as tracked on FTF) Im not even sure Joe Pavelski isn’t a more valuable player by himself overall (note I am not saying more talented). I know that’s a loaded statement, but Joe Pavelski has more points than Rick Nash right now. Yeah, Pavs plays with better players, but he also goes up against the toughest competition and plays in all situations (very effectively) for 1/2 the cost. No thanks.
The best I could imagine Doug Wilson offering is a defenseman outside our top 3, Alex Stalock, a prospect (Petrecki/Hamilton/Doherty) and 2 1sts (both very likely to be in the mid-20’s). That would be a heist…
Really good piece dudes, couldn’t agree more.
Now watch DW go out and get him for Niittymaki and a 3rd.
“Now watch DW go out and get him for Niittymaki and a 3rd.”
LOL. To be fair, even AHL Niitty is likely an upgrade over Mason right now…
I threw out a similar package to the one you hypothesized over on FTF, except it was a 2nd Round pick instead of Jamie McGinn. Does that make it more palatable or still a no go?
I agree they I wouldn’t want your proposal. It’s too costly.
But, what if… IF we could get Columbus to take Havlat.
What about something like:
Havlat, Mitchell and our 2nd…
For Nash?
That’s about the only way I’d like acquiring a player with that contract.
It’s ain’t happening though and I’d bet my lunch money DW would avoid Nash just because of his contract.
HAHAHAHAHAHA. Yeah, I’d do that in a heart beat, too bad it’s impossible.
Apparently you missed the part where I said “it ain’t happening”…
And technically it’s not impossible just ridiculously improbable.
Havlat, Ferriro/Mitchell/Wingels (CBJ chooses), Demers, Petrecki, Stalock, 1st
Nash, 3rd
Trading any of Pavs, Joe, Marleau, Clowe, Couture makes no sense whatsoever. We need another top 6 forward, and if we give up one of those guys, we would still only have 5 top 6 forwards, therefore would still need another top 6 forward. So the trade wouldn’t fill a need for us
Per Pierre LeBrun from his online rumors chat this morning.
He claims DW HAS contacted ANA and PHX regarding Selanne and Whitney. He claims DW is in fact looking to acquire a top six forward.
http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/42539
Of course that’s not gospel, but that’s LeBrun, David Pollack and other various reports that we’re in the market for a top six forward – not a third line grinder.
In a perfect world I think we need both, but if I had to choose between the two I’ll take the scoring every time.
I just read through Bucci’s top 100 players ranking:
http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/7502429/john-buccigross-ranks-top-100-current-players
They’re just one man’s opinion, but I think provide an interesting insight into how players stack up. Nash is at 19, and if we could land him without giving up one of our current top 5 forwards I’d probably be happy, I don’t see that happening. If gave me a few other ideas of players that might be of interest (Good players on bad teams):
Eric Staal (43): Is having a very off year on a very off team, but Bucci even suggests he needs a change of scenery to jump start his career again. He’s got cup pedigree, we know he’s going to compete and would have something to prove. I don’t think he requires much argument as a player but if you catch Jim Rutherford looking to rebuild around Skinner it would be worth the call.
Shane Doan (88): This one doesn’t get me as excited but there’s no denying Shane’s an incredibly hard-working driven player that could give us more playoff grit. He takes the kind of shifts that reenergize teams.
Michael Cammalleri (87): Ok so he’s had a rough year, but if Calgary falls out of the playoff race it’s worth dropping his name during your call about Iginla. The guys is a PPG playoff player. $6MM for the next 3 years, can you swap him for Havlat and a little extra?
Matt Moulson (49): Putting up very solid numbers. I doubt he’d even be available, especially given his low cap hit for the next few years, but it might be worth the call?
Anyways, some names that haven’t been mentioned (and probably for good reason) that I felt like might stoke a little conversation.
Moore, MOAR!
Well dudes, you got your PK’er…
“like button” has been clicked on this article. no thanks for what we would have to give up
I hope I’m not the only one that would be worried about him ending up in LA that’s a scary prospect.
So maybe you guys can help with this… I read something about some kinda record getting set if Detroit wins their next home game…?!
Oh..wait,…what…?!? Detroit plays the SHARKS next??!!
As the beloved Ilya Bryzgalov would say – Sunday is a hu-MAN-geous game..
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