Rick Nash didn't leave the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2012 NHL Trade Deadline, but in general manager Scott Howson's address about an hour past the 3 p.m. ET deadline on Monday, he dropped a bombshell: Nash requested the trade.
Rick Nash Requested Trade From Columbus Blue Jackets, According To Scott Howson
Howson didn’t reveal this in an answer to a question during the press conference. He said it as part of his own remarks, a detail that should not be ignored. In coming out and calculating such an announcement -- an announcement that was completely counter to the conventional wisdom surrounding the entire Rick Nash trade speculation at this deadline -- he’s clearly shifting the focus back on his star player.
Now, as Nash continues the rest of the season with the Blue Jackets, he’ll have to answer questions about wanting out. Howson, meanwhile, can defend his stance of refusing to trade his star player without getting the proper return for him. The general manager mentioned several times that the asking price was extremely high for Nash, adding that it “had to be high.”
Nash might still be a Blue Jacket, but it doesn’t appear as though he’ll still be in Columbus come October.
For more on the NHL trade deadline, check in with our comprehensive StoryStream. For more on Rick Nash, check in with Blue Jackets blog The Cannon.
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