NHL Trade Rumors: San Jose Sharks Still Alive in Grand Rick Nash Sweepstakes

The most coveted player on the trade market in Rick Nash continues to get love. The wide-open market includes the San Jose Sharks, despite popular opinion. 

The Sharks and other teams are being hit with just how much a player like Nash will cost. He is more than a captain to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He is the face of the franchise, and that means it will take some doing to pry him away.

The Sharks were supposed to be out of it when Logan Couture was taken off the pile of would-be trade assets. That is not the case as TSN's Darren Dreger reports.

According to Dreger, "The San Jose Sharks are emerging as a strong contender for Rick Nash. Sources say Columbus initially targeted Logan Couture, but was quickly told that was a non-starter. But, make no mistake, San Jose will stay in the mix until Monday's deadline."

Dreger illustrates what is at the heart of the Sharks' passionate pitch to land Nash. The Columbus captain is great friends with Sharks veteran Joe Thornton, and the two have shown amazing chemistry before. 

The pairing would bring the best out of both stars and solidify their hold on the Pacific, a division they are in a heated battle with the Kings over. 

This is going to be a trying weekend for all involved. The deadline looms closer and the Blue Jackets have a highly-desired commodity. 

They are wise to keep the bidding high and have correctly measured the temperature on the market. ESPN's Victoria Matiash writes who might be targeted in a potential trade between the clubs: "There has been talk of Jackets GM Scott Howson's interest in forward Joe Pavelski, although the Sharks would rather not part with the 27-year-old center. Goaltender Thomas Greiss and defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic could hold some appeal for Howson."

If the Sharks truly wish to play with the big boys in this sweepstakes, they are going to have to make some concessions. 

They have already nixed talk on Couture and may just have to bite the bullet on someone like Pavelski. Columbus is fielding a wealth of offers, making Nash a great, but expensive, find. 

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