NHL Trade Rumors: Blue Jackets Must Acquire Young Goalie in Any Rick Nash Trade

The Columbus Blue Jackets are shopping superstar winger Rick Nash and must acquire a young goaltender who can lead the franchise for many seasons in any deal involving their captain.

One thing that has prevented the Blue Jackets from building a playoff caliber team is their lack of a top goaltender. Indeed, after Steve Mason's steep decline from his Calder Trophy winning season in 2009, the team has really been hurt by their poor goaltending.

Columbus has to use Nash to acquire a goaltender and a top-tier defenseman prospect because adding a young blueliner would also really benefit their team. Most of the best NHL teams are built from the back and the Blue Jackets need to adopt this philosophy while rebuilding their team.

Let's look at three goaltenders the Blue Jackets could look to acquire in a trade involving Rick Nash.

Cory Schneider, Vancouver Canucks

With starting goaltender Roberto Luongo struggling in the playoffs last season, it is important that the Vancouver Canucks keep young goalie Cory Schneider so he can step in for Luongo if needed this postseason.

He will be a restricted free agent this summer, and the Canucks might fear that a team desperate for a young goaltender could make him a significant offer. What's more, the Canucks may not match a huge offer, since they are already paying Luongo over $5 million into the next decade.

Vancouver really needs a power forward like Nash, but giving up Schneider and young forward Cody Hodgson is a steep price to pay for the Blue Jackets star.

Ben Bishop, St. Louis Blues

St. Louis' top goaltending prospect Ben Bishop is a multiple time AHL All-Star and is talented young player that the Blue Jackets could build around for years to come if they acquired him through trade.

With the Blues already having two very good goaltenders at the NHL level in Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliot, Bishop could be expendable for the right price. 

He is having an awesome season in the AHL this year for the Peoria Rivermen and is ranked fourth in the league in GAA and first in save percentage.

Bishop will likely be eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer, so the Blues would be smart to trade him at the deadline and not risk him leaving without getting anything in return.

Jonathan Bernier, Los Angeles Kings

Jonathan Quick is having a Vezina Trophy caliber season for the Los Angeles Kings which makes the decision of parting ways with backup Jonathan Bernier a bit easier.

We must not forget, though, that Quick can become an unrestricted free agent after next season. If contract talks don't go well leading up to that point, the team will need a backup plan for the future, which is where Bernier comes in.

However, the Kings are currently tied for the eighth and final playoff spot and desperately need some more scoring or they could miss the postseason altogether.  

Nash would be a great addition to the Kings offense and would add some much needed toughness and goal-scoring to their top lines.