This week we went a little wild and off the board with our round table discussion. The topic? Based on some rumblings in the Ranger fan base, we tackled what would it take for the Jackets to get Rick Nash? Sure to ruffle some feathers, we dive right into it.
Discussion
Alison L: Well the first thing I would say is that I don’t think any package that would do this should involve picks…that being said, that’s probably a big piece of what NYR needs
Mark: Columbus gets:
Rick Nash
New York Rangers get:
Jack Johnson
Kerby Rychel
Matt Calvert
The Coach: I would be fine with a pick, provided it wasn’t a 1st rounder. However, I think this is something that could provide a nice opportunity to cash in on the CBJ’s organizational depth. We’eve discussed before how many players the CBJ have under contract (it will be tough to get under the 50 player signed limit if they add players), but the Jackets could absolutely afford to send a handful of young guys who might be NHL players in the future, along with a current NHLer. You would have to send someone from the $4m+ club to make the salaries work, and maybe another guy (such as Calvert) but it’s doable.
Mark: You basically have to send Calvert, right?
Alison L: One player that NYR had been rumored to be interested in in the past was Atkinson, but I’m hesitant to suggest him as a moveable piece.
The Coach: Yeah it’s a tough line to walk. If you are trading for Nash, that means you are wanting to compete right now. Moving out too many current NHLers would be counter-productive.
Mark: I just want us to do it so someone has to take the GIF of the guy throwing his Nash jersey on the ground during the post-game show and reverse it
The Coach: The trade Mark suggested above (with maybe some picks added in, and maybe a second tier prospect) would make total sense for the cbjprospects. Jack Johnson is then replaced in the top 6 by Werenski, Nash bumps other guys down the lineup, and you actually improve on Calvert.
Alison L: You make an important point though, Derek. Is Nash an asset you want in the Jackets lineup?
Mark: Can anyone find the GIF of the jersey toss? It’s important.
The Coach: Nash is absolutely still a good hockey player. He may not be the Nash he once was, but he is still legit. He was hurt last year, but the year before that was one of his better seasons.
Alison L:
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
Mark: You’re my hero
Alison L: $7.8 is still a big number to fit in to a team already on the higher side of the cap range. Even with the players suggested to go back in trade. Actually Mark, I think the guy in the Vine is your hero. (ok for the first time I just noticed the small child taking it all in in the background)
Anyway – back to cap space…
The Coach: You might need to move out Tyutin as well to make it work and leave enough to re-sign Jones
Jeremy: I don’t think it makes any sense to do, cap-wise. He’s a good player but at so much money, and his best years are behind him… can CBJ really afford to take another $7.8m on, even for two years?
Alison L: That’s my concern as well. It doesn’t really align with a window that maximizes the rest of the CBJ talent
The Coach: Well if we are living in reality, then this would have been a pretty short roundtable: “No.” /the end. The problem is, when is this team trying to contend? They have a lot of guys around the age of 30 that are locked in for a long time for a lot of money. That says “we are trying to win right now”. If you can upgrade from Calvert to Nash at forward, Johnson to (hopefully) Werenski on defense, and the cap is more or less a wash? Does that not make some sense?
Alison L: Ok so let’s roll with your theory, Nash can contribute now. And is worth trying to acquire…
Mark: Can he play 1C?
Alison L: Any other scenarios we suggest?
Mark: Because that’s really what they should be going after.
The Coach: Well someone from Dubinsky/Foligno/Hartnell/Tyutin/Johnson has to go the other way. My initial first thought was Foligno.
Alison L: What a weird world if Dubinsky was again a Ranger and Nash again a Jacket.
The Coach: Foligno + Calvert + picks/prospects. That is nearly even money, opens up a spot for Rychel/Bjorkstrand/maybe Anderson on the 4th line. Plus it has the benefit of being a good move cap-wise long term.
Alison L: But not on the defensive side which could use the bolstering. I’m torn…
Mark: We’d have to send at least one 4.5-5M player their way but I think Dubi stays and they probably don’t want Tyutin
The Coach: I’d pay a better player $2m more to get out of the Foligno deal four years earlier.
Mark: Some people still think Jack Johnson is good, so they should try to trade him while that’s still a thing.
The Coach: While we are reuniting former players with their old teams, someone get Dean Lombardi on the phone.
Mark: Yeah, maybe we can trade Frattin back for Gaborik
Alison L: Mark. So last part of the question, which of either of these scenarios is more appealing to NY? If at all?
The Coach: None? I think that is the problem. CBJ don’t have the space to absorb salary, so it can’t be a straight up dump of Nash for all cheap players.CBJ would have to overpay in picks and prospects for them to do it.
Mark: This should be a 3 part question:
- Should the CBJ want Rick Nash back?
- Would the Jackets even be on his list of 12 teams?
- Ignoring that you said no to both 1 & 2, what would it take to get him?
The Coach: But hey, someone traded for Rob Scuderi twice this year, so anything is possible.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
