"In admitting to the Columbus Dispatch that the 2011-12 season is the most difficult of his career, Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash also answered a hypothetical question about whether he'd be willing to waive his no-trade clause, which expires at the end of the 2014-15 season.

Nash told Aaron Portzline of the Dispatch that he would be willing to agree to a trade if it meant the Blue Jackets would be getting pieces back to help them to build a new foundation for future success.

"The city of Columbus deserves a winner and deserves a good product on the ice," Nash said. "If it comes to that -- like you said, all speculation -- but if they don't want me here, they want to move me? I'm not going to do something where it's going to hurt the franchise just because I have that in my contract.""