I’m not one to bust out massive predictions on anything.  I usually sit by and watch events unfold.  I will say this however:  Rick Nash will be a Columbus Blue Jacket after the trade deadline has passed.

The more and more time that passes, I find it more difficult to wrap my head around the possibility that the Jackets would be willing to unload their franchise player.  Nash has a huge fan base.  He puts butts in the seats at Nationwide Arena and he is the most recognizable professional athlete in the city.  Anyone who thinks of the Blue Jackets immediately think Rick Nash (or losers but that’s for another time).

I’ve also been outspoken in trading him.  He’s been with the club for 8 seasons now. Unfortunately, he has little to show for it.  One playoff appearance in his time with the Jackets is hardly anything to get excited about.  In fact, it was a 4 game sweep at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings.  He’s given his all for this club…..

…except something changed last season.   Suddenly after a long skid after Thanksgiving, and after the team was near the top of the Western Conference, Nash stopped playing.  He got lazy and he seemed to be coasting.  He was regularly the last one into the defensive zone.  He began trying to pass much more frequently when everyone in the building knew he was the best scorer on the ice.  It looked like someone had crushed his spirits.  Granted there are games where his greatness pops out, but it is becoming more and more rare.

What team will Nash be a part of next week?

This is where I am torn.  I’ve been attending Blue Jackets games since season one.  I’ve followed the team closely. I buy the NHL Center Ice package every year to be able to see them.  I was in attendance for Nash’s first career game where I saw him score the game winning goal in a 2-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks (I also have an autographed picture showing his first goal).   We have 2 Nash jerseys, both autographed.

Losing Nash would be like losing a family member.  I would have no clue how to react.  I honestly can’t envision him in another jersey.  I hated rooting against Canada in the Olympics in 2010.  I can’t imagine the difficult decision General Manager Scott Howson has to make.  It seems like a lose-lose situation.

The fans as a whole seem to want to keep this team as together as possible.  There was a massive outcry after it was announced that Antoine Vermette was traded to Phoenix for two draft picks.  I normally hate certain teams because their fans are less than intelligent (I’m looking at you Toronto).  However, the outrage from Jackets fans over the Vermette trade was mind-boggling.  It seems like no one wants any changes to occur.  Need I remind fans that the Jackets are currently in dead last place in the conference by 9 points?

I don’t understand the rationale of fans sometimes.  It’s no question that the team needs a goalie.  There’s also no doubt change in the roster is a necessity.  So when a change occurs, the first thing fans on facebook and the rest of the internet do is complain.   They also fail to offer up any reasonable solution of their own.  They just keep saying “We need a goalie”.  Serious question idiots fans…Do you honestly think a legitimate starting goalie will just show up at the door asking to play for free?  My goodness, be realistic about what you are demanding.

But, can you imagine the outrage from fans if Nash were to be moved?  The fan base could be destroyed beyond repair.  Nationwide Arena in the early years was a booming atmosphere compared to the  3/5 filled building it is now.  If Nash gets moved, the organization will be thrilled with attendance hovering around 12,000 per game…forget ever seeing a sellout again.

It seems very unlikely that whoever is in goal for Columbus next season will be someone like Cory Schneider, Tuuka Rask, or Jonathan Bernier…that is, without trading Rick Nash.

Howson has made some big mistakes in his tenure with the organization, and there is no disputing that.  Going all in on Steve Mason has been nothing short of brutal on his part.   There have also been some less than desirable contracts (Nash’s massive cap hit, Mason’s $2.9m, Vermette’s $4m, R.J. Umberger’s $4m, James Wizniewski’s huge overpayment).

So over the next 5 days, you’ll see this team slowly transform into something you won’t recognize.  As a fan, you probably won’t like it.  It’s something that needs to be done though.

As for Nash, you’ll probably continue to see him with the Jackets for the rest of the year.  The only way Nash is dealt is if the return is almost too good to be true.  That means a #1 goalie coming to Columbus at the minimum.  Anything less would be completely foolish on Howson’s part.

Stay tuned, the drama is only going to be increased as we approach next week’s deadline.