NHL Trade Rumors: Philadelphia Flyers Right to Bow out of Rick Nash Sweepstakes

If there's one thing the Philadelphia Flyers don't need, it's another offensive weapon. They already lead the NHL in scoring at 3.31 goals per game.

It's therefore a little surprising that the Flyers popped up in the discussion concerning Columbus Blue Jackets winger Rick Nash, a guy who has scored at least 30 goals six times in eight seasons.

Well, it seems like we can count the Flyers out of the running now. Darren Dreger of TSN dropped this update on Monday:

First of all, Dreger is right about there being plenty of time for the Flyers to change their minds. The trade deadline doesn't pass until Monday. A lot can change between now and then. 

But my gut tells me this is the last time we'll hear the Flyers linked to Nash. In all likelihood, this was a case of general manager Paul Holmgren kicking the tires and doing his due diligence. Odds are that he and Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson never really got down to business.

It seems they only got so far as discussing what the Blue Jackets were looking for in return for Nash. Understandably, the rumor mill rumblings have them asking for a lot. It's not at all surprising that the Flyers apparently balked.

Indeed, why would the Flyers fork over a king's ransom for a player they don't need? It would have been pretty cool to see Nash alongside Claude Giroux, but that idea was always too good to be true.

Besides, it's not like that Flyers would be a drastically improved team if they were to acquire Nash. They'd score more, but their defense and goaltending issues would remain.

In fact, they could have been even worse depending on which players went the other way in exchange for Nash.

The Flyers have already made some good deals, acquiring Nick Grossman from the Dallas Stars and Pavel Kubina from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Another move before the deadline wouldn't hurt, but they can afford to take their chances with the team they have if they so choose.

In other words, the Flyers can let somebody else pay through the nose to get Nash.