Nash dodging trade-rumor questions

By foxsports
Published


Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash may be days away from getting traded for the first time in his NHL career, but he has no interest in discussing what might lie ahead.

Meeting with the media on Sunday afternoon before the Blue Jackets played the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden, Nash issued a flurry of "no comments" when asked to comment on his named being bandied about in rumors.

He played it slick after the Blue Jackets lost 3-2 in overtime to the Rangers, too. Nash scored one of his club's goals, giving him 19 goals on the season.

Asked if he saw Sunday's game as a showcase, Nash said: "No, we're trying to win a game. I'll do everything I can to help our team win."

When Nash was asked where he'd like to end up by the end of this season, Nash joked: "With a higher plus-minus rating. Mine's not so good."

Columbus next hosts the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

NOTES, QUOTES

Blue Jackets not faring well vs. East teams

--Sunday's 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Rangers dropped the Blue Jackets to 3-8-3 vs. Eastern Conference clubs this season. The Blue Jackets haven't had a losing season vs. the East since the 2006-07 season.

--The Columbus Dispatch reported that Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson, in his attempts to trade Rick Nash, is talking to clubs beyond the list of preferred clubs supplied by Nash and his agent, Joe Resnick. If Howson gets a deal done, he could go to Nash and Resnick and see if they'd accept the trade. The list of preferred clubs has not been made public, but the Dispatch said Boston, Los Angeles, New York Rangers, Toronto and Vancouver are on the list.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "That's the reception you're going to get when you score in the final minute on the road to earn a point. They weren't happy." -- Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash, who was jeered by Rangers fans after he scored to tie the game at 2.

ROSTER REPORT

PLAYER NOTES:

--C Derick Brassard continued his second-half surge with his 11th goal of the season, giving him four goals and four assists in the Blue Jackets' last nine games.

--RW Rick Nash provoked boos and jeers from a Madison Square Garden crowd that may be rooting for him soon enough. Nash, the focus of trade rumors, scored the game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation.

--D James Wisniewski is out of the lineup ... again. Wisniewski missed eight games with an NHL suspension and 17 games with a fractured left ankle earlier this season. Now he's out with a groin injury, suffered in the waning seconds of Saturday's 6-1 loss to Chicago.

MEDICAL WATCH:

--LW Kristian Huselius (lower body) is out until late February.
--D Radek Martinek (concussion) is out for the season.
--D Nikita Nikitin (left knee) is out indefinitely.
--D Marc Methot (broken jaw) is out for the season.
--RW Jared Boll (broken foot) is out four-to-six weeks.