If you're any type of sports fan, than you know that the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL are shopping Rick Nash to try to deal him before the trade deadline. There have been several teams linked to this trade, such as the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, and the Boston Bruins. Also, another team that is said to be in the bidding for Nash are the Toronto Maple Leafs, who could definitely use him in their race for the playoffs. As a Leafs fan, I would personally love to see Nash in a leafs uniform, but at what cost? Firstly it is important to understand what the Blue Jackets want in return for Nash, and that is draft picks and young players who have potential. It is also significant to know that Rick Nash wants to go to a team that has potential to win a cup, and is Toronto really that team?
If the Maple Leafs are going to land Nash, Brian Burke, the general manager for Toronto, is going to have to give up some good young players. There is one problem in the Leafs making this trade: it is clear that Toronto has been in rebuild mode for the past three or four years, and to give up young players would somewhat cancel out that whole process. However, if the Leafs are realistic on attaining Nash, I believe they would have to cough up players such as Mike Komisarek, Luke Schenn, and Nazem Kadri. Also, Burke would have to at least provide the Blue Jackets with a 1st round pick, and possibly a 2nd or 3rd, along with a prospect player. I mention Komisarek and Schenn simply because they both have potential (despite being disappointments this season) and the Leafs have a very strong defensive corps. I also say Kadri because not only was he a first round pick, but is a player with a lot of raw talent, and is still developing. Of course this trade would bring a lot of excitement to Toronto, and rightly so, but I do not think that this move would get the Leafs to that Stanley Cup final. It is clear that the Leafs do not have that true first line center, and it is definitely not going to be Tim Connolly, therefore, I believe if Burke is going to make this deal, than he also has to try to find that center man who can at least play on the second line, which would lead Mikhail Grabovski to move up to the first line, and Tyler Bozak down to the third line, where he belongs.
To be perfectly honest, if I were Nash, I would not want to go to Toronto. No offense to Toronto fans, but the Leafs are not making the Stanley Cup finals anytime soon. If I were Nash, I would be desire a team with Stanley Cup potential, and long-term success. One could argue that the Leafs would be a good decision for long-term success because they are a young, up and coming team, but I believe he has to base his decision on a team that is going to win now, and for a long time. Teams that come to mind are the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins. All three of these teams have the potential to win the Stanley Cup this season, and perhaps the next few seasons. One could also argue that if Nash went to the Leafs he would be the face of the franchise, which is a reason he may be lured into Toronto. However, Nash has been the face of a franchise in Columbus since he joined the NHL, which is why I do not believe he wants to be traded for the fame, making sense for him to go to a team like the Red Wings.
Of course I would like to see Nash in a Leafs uniform, but it is important to understand that if the Leafs do not land Nash, it would not necessarily be a bad thing for this franchise. Burke and Ron Wilson have done a great job over the past few seasons in rebuilding the Leafs without Nash, and can move on without him too. Nash is a great winger in the NHL, but, without that first line center, the Leafs and their fans cannot realistically believe in a Stanley Cup finals berth this season.
Vince Cianciolo
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