Big trades in the NHL hardly ever come true, but the increasingly rampant talk from around the Columbus Blue Jackets organization about a possible trade of captain and star sniper Rick Nash has many people feeling that something could go down before the deadline.

Will Philadelphia Trade for Rick Nash?

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There may be no better fit in the NHL for the blue-collar player than the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia. And they have the young talent to pull this move off.

With Columbus needing to be blown off their feet by a deal, the Flyers have the depth and the ambition to get this deal done if both teams are all-in. We also can’t forget that Nash has a no-trade clause that allows him to veto any more, but since Philly is a perennial contender, it shouldn't be a problem.

It’s a sticky situation, but the Flyers look like the front-runners. Elliotte Friedman is reporting on CBC about Philadelphia being a possible destination for Nash:

“Teams you could see Nash wanting to play for—the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers. New York's highest-paid players, Toronto's top five and Philly's top six were either free-agent signings or arrived in trades. …Which leaves Philadelphia. There are a lot of teams who think this has Flyers written all over it. They've got a young goalie.”

This is what I would call a blockbuster move if it did come to fruition, but the Flyers would have to give up a lot. It all starts with the goalie.

Sergei Bobrovsky has been pursued by many teams since the Flyers had great success with the rookie last season, but they have kept him on the team even after signing starter Ilya Bryzgalov to a huge nine-year deal worth $51 million.

That means letting him go won’t be so hard, especially if it’s Nash coming the other way.

It will take more than that to sway the Blue Jackets from their franchise player, and the Flyers have that covered, too. With 11 players 25 years old and younger, Columbus would go a long way in rebuilding their franchise by snagging some of those players.

Some of the most likely names thrown around will be Brayden Schenn, Sean Couturier and Matt Read, but it will take a combination of one of these rookies and a younger player who has a season or two under his belt.

No matter what it takes, Flyers GM Paul Holmgren has shown that he isn’t afraid to make a big deal. This time should be no different. 

 

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