NHL Trade Rumors: Maple Leafs Need to Avoid Rick Nash Sweepstakes

The Maple Leafs need to forget about Rick Nash and turn their attention elsewhere.

At 29-24 the Leafs are in a position to make a big acquisition and make a run at the Stanley Cup, but Nash would be too costly for this franchise.

He is one of the biggest prizes on the NHL trade market. He would be a valuable prize for any team that lands him, but that doesn't mean he is worth it. And that is the case for the Leafs.

Let's take a look at the rumors before discussing why this is the case. 

The Rumors 

Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch reported that Nash, who has a no-movement clause, would accept a trade to the following teams. He also mentions what the Blue Jackets would be looking for in return. 

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Boston, Los Angeles, the Rangers, San Jose, Toronto and Vancouver are believed to be on the approved list for Nash—he would have to waive a no-movement clause in his contract before he could be traded—but the return the Blue Jackets seek could vary widely from club to club.

The Blue Jackets are said to want at least one young roster player along with a combination of top prospects and quality draft picks. 

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The Nash to the Maple Leafs rumors picked up serious steam when the GMs for the two clubs had a meeting. The Globe and Mail reported on this meeting. 

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Word that Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke met with his Columbus Blue Jacketscounterpart on Sunday morning sent the predictable frenzy through the social media, with Burke staying mum.

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The Maple Leafs are shrewdly being aggressive on the trade front, but they need turn their focus elsewhere. 

The Search for Better Options

The Maple Leafs have some valuable pieces to offer with the likes of Luke Schenn and forwards Nazem Kadri or Joe Colborne. 

However, other teams in the running for Nash are in a position to better those options. This means the Leafs would have to blow away the bidders with a greater package of prospects and draft picks. 

This would leave the Leafs too depleted to make the deal worth it. 

While the Leafs are turning in a solid season, they are more than one player away from being a serious contender. One need look no further than their last six games to see evidence of that. 

Toronto, with all but one of those six games being on the road, went just 1-5 in that stretch. 

The Maple Leafs do need to add some star power, but they can't mortgage their future to do so because it is in the future where their only real chance at contending resides.