NHL Trade Rumors: Rick Nash Reportedly Unhappy with Columbus Blue Jackets

Rick Nash has been the face of the Columbus Blue Jackets for years, but it's looking more and more likely that he is headed out of town.

There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Nash lately, a superstar who finds himself on the laughing stock of the NHL.

Wrote Sportsnet reporter John Shannon on Monday:

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I have received a couple of calls from friends of Nash, who claim that Rick is very unhappy with the way the franchise is going and realizes it will take five more years to rebuild, again. Nash is now telling people close to him that he would entertain being moved, but still will not be the one who asks for a trade.

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Want out of a team that has a 14-32-6 record? No, it can't be!

Obviously, the way things are going in Columbus, you can't exactly blame Nash. He's been good enough to play on Team Canada and win an Olympic gold medal, but he's played in four playoff games his entire nine-year NHL career.

In each of Nash's last seven NHL seasons, he's racked up at least 54 points and scored at least 27 goals. This is despite playing on a poor team. For a dominating left winger like him, you can only imagine what he could do with another big-time player beside him.

In order to get Nash, a team would likely have to give up a lot, which would help the Blue Jackets rebuild.

Wrote Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun on Saturday:

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Confirm or deny: The cellar-dwelling Blue Jackets may finally be ready to accept reality and they could be willing to deal captain Rick Nash. If that’s the case, they’re going to want a big return: A top young player, a prospect and a first-round pick. The Rangers and Kings are interested.

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Those concerned about the no-trade clause in Nash's contract need not be. Nash said he would waive his clause if the Blue Jackets wanted to trade him.

Said Nash, via the Columbus Dispatch:

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“The city of Columbus deserves a winner and deserves a good product on the ice. If it comes to that — like you said, all speculation — but if they don’t want me here, they want to move me? I’m not going to do something where it’s going to hurt the franchise just because I have that in my contract.”

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It's never fun to trade away a star and former No. 1 overall pick like Nash, but the way things are going for the Blue Jackets, it may be the best course of action. They need a bunch of talent before they even think of competing in the NHL.