NHL Rumors: Rangers Cannot Afford to Let Rick Nash Join Eastern Conference Rival

The New York Rangers cannot pass up the opportunity to trade for Columbus Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash and allow an Eastern Conference rival like the Pittsburgh Penguins to acquire him.

Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Post-Dispatch has reported that the Penguins are on Nash's trade list:

"

Confirmed today Pittsburgh is on Rick Nash's "approved" list. So #NYR, #Flyers, #RedWings, #SJSharks, #PghPenguins. Could be 1-2 others.

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) July 4, 2012"

With two of the Rangers' Atlantic Division rivals on Nash's list (Pittsburgh and Philadelphia), it's important that the Rangers strike quickly and don't allow other teams to swoop in and acquire the star forward.

The Flyers' free-agent departures of Matt Carle and Jaromir Jagr could make their interest in Nash increase since they currently don't have the depth needed for a Stanley Cup run.

The Penguins tried to sign top free-agent forward Zach Parise, but they were unable to acquire the former New Jersey Devils captain, who chose to sign a massive deal with the Minnesota Wild.

Nash would give the Penguins the depth at forward they need to make another Stanley Cup run. If the Rangers allowed this deal to go down, then Pittsburgh would become the favorites to win the Atlantic division, the Eastern Conference and possibly even the Stanley Cup. 

Portzline has also reported on some of the players that don't have to be involved in a potential Nash trade with the Rangers.

"

Speaking of trade speculation ... been told repeatedly #CBJ GM Scott Howson has NOT demanded Kreider, McDonagh or Stepan in talks w #NYR.

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) July 3, 2012"

If Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider and Ryan McDonagh haven't been demanded, then what is taking so long for this deal to be finalized?

Rangers general manager Glen Sather needs to realize that to get a superstar player with 40-goal talent like Nash, it's going to cost him some talented players. Young talents like Carl Hagelin, J.T. Miller and Tim Erixon might not be good enough for Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson.

If Howson is smart, he will not accept a trade that sends Nash to New York without Stepan, Kreider or McDonagh coming to Columbus.

Losing a player as good as Stepan would be tough, but since Columbus needs a center badly, Sather must be willing to include him in a possible deal for Nash.

Howson isn't going to let Nash go for nothing. He is the best trade chip that the franchise has. If the Rangers aren't willing to part with young players of McDonagh, Kreider, and Stepan's caliber, another team might.

If that team is from the Eastern Conference, the Rangers could be in big trouble next season. If the Blueshirts want to win the Stanley Cup in the next few years, they must make a bold move for Nash and prevent their rivals from becoming stronger.

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