"Blue Jackets center Jeff Carter and general manager Scott Howson dismissed a television report that Carter wants out of Columbus.

"There has been no trade request," Howson said of the report on Thursday from RDS, a French-Canadian sports network.

Carter echoed Howson yesterday after the Blue Jackets practiced for a game tonight at the Nashville Predators.

"I haven't talked with one single person from RDS," Carter said. "I don't know where they came up with that. I haven't said anything or asked for anything."

Carter pointed out, halfheartedly, that the article was accurate in one aspect: He's not happy right now. "I don't think anybody is happy (in the dressing room) right now," Carter said. "If anybody is happy in this room, they shouldn't be. We've won three games.

"Nobody came in here thinking it was going to happen overnight, but obviously, we didn't think it was going to be like this. We have a lot of new guys in the room, guy who haven't played together before. You know that's going to take time, but I don't think anybody thought it would turn into 3-13-2 at this point."

Howson was emphatic that neither Carter nor his agent, Rick Curran, had even hinted that they would welcome a trade.

"Look, nobody's happy right now," Howson said. "Jeff's not happy. Rick (Nash) isn't happy. We've won three games. Nobody's happy. We see Jeff as part of the solution here. We want to get him integrated into the lineup and into the team. He's missed 10 games (because of a broken foot), and he's only now getting back into the lineup and playing.""