bustaheims
Active member
RedLeaf said:I agree with your logic. But that sounds more like a traditional style of rebuild to me. Burke has said many times that he's not interested in this approach. He's made it clear that he plans to fast track it. Whether or not it's the right way to do it, I have to think he would be very interested in acquiring Rick Nash right now for the right package. He's already on record saying he was very involved in the Brad Richards sweepstakes. What does that say about the direction he's taking with this team? It doesn't sound like the one you've laid out to me.
Outside of the Kessel deal, the one thing we haven't seen Burke do at all is deal the future for the now. He hasn't moved prominent young players or prospects for immediate help. In fact, he's done a lot of the opposite - traded guys who were helping the team now to acquire pieces that could be big parts of the future. As much as Burke has said he doesn't want a traditional rebuild, he has still made a number of moves that would fit in nicely to that plan. What he really meant when he said he didn't want a traditional rebuild was that he didn't want a team that would have to bottom out in order to improve - he felt he could make the team competitive now while still building for the future. Would he trade for Nash if the right deal was on the table? Sure, but, let's be honest here, that's not the deal that's likely to be available.
I've pointed this out a few times already, but, let's go over it again. Let's look at the situation in Columbus. Firstly, no one with any credibility has claimed Nash has asked to be moved, so, there's no pressure on Columbus to get this deal done in the next 2 weeks, if at all. The furthest most people is that they're listening on offers on Nash and that he's available. He's not actually being shopped. The desire to move Nash is not there, it's just a willingness to listen to see if there's something out there that will conceivably make the Blue Jackets a better team going forward. Secondly, we have a GM fighting for his job and we're discussing a deal for the current face of the franchise - a deal that would undoubtedly require ownership approval. Howson will not even present a deal to his boss unless he feels it's a clear win for the Blue Jackets. This means that Nash is not available for "fair value." It's going to take a serious overpayment to get a deal made. It's a deal that the Leafs are just not in a position to make right now.