Nash Requested Trade
Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash asked the team to consider trading him last month, general manager Scott Howson said this afternoon.
Nash, in his ninth season with Columbus, made the request in mid- to –late January, Howson said.
“He approached us and asked us to consider trading him,” Howson said. “We agreed to accomodate his request as long as we could get a deal that would provide us with cornerstone pieces to help us compete for a Stanley Cup championship in the coming years.”
That did not happen. No team was able to meet the Blue Jackets’ demands for their franchise player. Nash remains the captain of the Blue Jackets and Howson said that will not change.
Howson declined to address why Nash requested a trade.
“You’ll have to talk to him,” Howson said.
Nash’s agent, Joe Resnick, did not return messages this afternoon. Nash declined to speak with reporters today. He is expected to be made available after practice on Tuesday.
Howson said the team’s relationship with Nash remains cordial despite a situation that has become very messy and will likely get messier in the coming weeks and months. He said he spoke to Nash after the 3 p.m. deadline today.
“I explained our position,” Howson said. “You all know him. He’s a great person. He understands. The price was high and I don’t apologize for that. It had to be high.”
http://www.bluejacketsxtra.com/content/blogs/puck-rakers/2012/02/nash-requested-trade.html