The trade is still not quite official at this point, but it is all but done. The Columbus Blue Jackets traded forward Rick Nash, a 3rd rounder and a minor league defenseman to the New York Rangers for forwards Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov, defensive prospect Tim Erixon and a 1st round pick.
Needless to say the General Manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Scott Howson, finally caved and traded away Rick Nash. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t get much in return and the worst team in the league got worse. Dubinsky and Anisimov are okay, but will never do anything that Rick Nash is capable of. Last year Dubinsky had 34 points and Anisimov had 36 points, playing on the best team (record wise) in the regular season. While Nash had 59 points playing on the worst team in the league without a number one center. Now the Rangers can pair him with either Brad Richards and Ryan Callahan or Derek Stepan and Marian Gaborik and they have an absolute powerhouse first line. If Tim Erixon pans out he will be a top two defensman on the Blue Jackets, but that is a big if. Nobody is guaranteed to turn into a good player because they are a highly touted prospect.
The Red Wings made a massive offer to the Blue Jackets for Nash, but Howson opted to trade him outside of the division. This trade that was completed is a far cry from the asking price that Nash has been rumored to have up until this point. At one point it was thought that Howson wanted, defenseman Michael Del Zotto, Brandon Dubinsky, then either Derek Stepan or Carl Hagelin, Chris Kreider and a 1st rounder. If that rumor was true, then the asking price dropped in half, at least. The Rangers essentially packed up their garbage, and a prospect that they weren’t going to need eventually and traded for one of, if not the best power forward in the entire NHL. Kudos to you Glenn Sather for pulling a rabbit out of the hat.