NHL Rumors: Now the Senators are making a pitch for Rick Nash

Are the Ottawa Senators now in on the Rick Nash sweepstakes? According to a report they already have the makings of an offer to Columbus.

By Brian Stubits

Jun 19, 2012 at 5:18 pm ET • 2 min read

Nash seems to be coveted by every GM. (Getty Images)

Before the trade deadline came and went, many pundits suggested that if the Blue Jackets waited until the offseason, there would be more options of places to trade captain Rick Nash. Turns out they were right as the candidates keep coming out of the woodwork to join the hunt.

Here is the latest suitor to emerge.

The Senators have apparently made a strong pitch for Rick Nash.

Multiple solid sources have confirmed rumblings of Ottawa’s interest, saying GM Bryan Murray has indeed talked with the Columbus Blue Jackets about acquiring the two-time 40-goal scorer.

One insider went a step further by telling Sun Media the players the Senators proposed to send back in the deal for the left winger, a scenario confirmed by another source.

For the just-turned 28-year-old Nash, it appears the Senators are prepared to trade 2011 first-round pick Mika Zibanejad, winger Nick Foligno and goalie Ben Bishop.

Ottawa Sun

So the Sens join a list that seems to have more teams interested than not right now in Nash. Although I'm not entirely sold on why the Senators feel they need Nash. They already had plenty of scoring last season, it's on defense where they need help.

Then again, if you can bolster the offense and prepare for the eventual retirement of Daniel Alfredsson without sacrificing any of your defense, why not? The players named in the reported offer are a couple of forwards and a goaltender, something that the Sens have plenty of at the moment. So in that regard, considering the Jackets need a goalie, the Sens do make some sense as a team the Jackets would be interested in talking to.

The Sun says it is unclear whether or not any draft picks would be included in said offer, but you have to imagine they would be. Columbus GM Scott Howson wants a ton in return and I don't think those three players -- even as highly regarded as a guy like Zibanejad might be -- are going to cut it. He'll likely seek more in the form of picks.

Above all, though, the question would be is that something Nash wants to do? He holds the veto power and it's up to him. His agent was firm that the list he gave the Blue Jackets wasn't going to expand this summer and on that list the Senators were not.

The other aspect to consider here which allows me to sprinkle in some pessimism is a question of whether or not the Sens can afford to bring in Nash. They aren't like their nearest neighbors in that they spend a ton of money every season. Right now owner Eugene Melnyk is looking at forking over a lot of money to restricted free agent Erik Karlsson and he's already asked his Norris nominee to be reasonable. How would he welcome Nash's rich and lengthy deal?

I'm just not sold on a lot of different parts to a deal here. But with this Nash saga, you never know ...