Nash’s Agent Wants Trade Before Monday
While previously refusing to talk about his situation to the press one way or the other, the agent for Rick Nash said that he would like a trade for his client before Monday afternoon’s trade deadline.

“We’re hopeful a deal can get done prior to the trade deadline that is fair and equitable to the Blue Jackets,” Agent Joe Resnick told TSN’s Bob McKenzie Saturday. It will be a challenge for Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson to get a “fair and equitable deal” for Nash now that he wants out, but that’s what Howson is facing over the next two days.

The Rangers are believed to be the frontrunners for Nash, but the San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs will also be in play. Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch has done a wonderful job covering the Blue Jackets’ trade happenings over the past few weeks, and he says Howson will look for forwards in a Nash deal. New York has a few defensive prospects teams would covet, but it seems the blue line, with a goalie being unlikely, is the current priority. Of course that could change several times by Monday.

Devils Get Their Man In Zidlicky
New Jersey had to give up three players and two picks to acquire D Marek Zidlicky from Minnesota, but the 35-year-old Czech veteran is friendly with key members of the Devils and requested a trade to Jersey.

Zidlicky has 14 assists this season, and the Wild were able to acquire 30-year-old D Kurtis Foster and minor leaguers in 22-year-old Nick Palmeiri and 30-year-old Stephane Veilleux. Minnesota also got a second round pick pick in 2012 and a conditional pick in 2013. We’ll see if that was too much to give up.

Wolski Migrates South
Wojtek Wolski needed a move out of New York, and we’ll see if he can turn things around in South Florida. The talented, but oft injured, forward was traded to the Panthers on Saturday for a minor leaguer and a third round pick in 2013.

Wolski’s $3.8 million cap hit could enable the Rangers to make other moves and Florida may have acquired Wolski for his prowess in shootouts, as Darren Dreger suggested.

Extra Points
-From ESPN: Dustin Brown will be staying in Los Angeles and Teemu Selanne will not be traded from Anaheim before Monday’s deadline. San Jose, Vancouver, Boston and Detroit were among the interested teams.
-With Alex Hemsky re-signed in Edmonton, Nashville is now looking at Montreal’s Andrei Kostitsyn for help, according to Pierre LeBrun. He says there’s a 50 percent chance Kostitsyn ends up in the Music City.
-Other LeBrun notes from that link: Dallas may not trade neither Mike Ribiero nor Steve Ott, but could if the price is right. One of the players the Stars would love is Philadelphia’s James van Riemsdyk. Sheldon Souray could be another Star on the move on Monday. *Evgeni Nabokov of the Islanders is still the most likely goalie acquisition for Toronto, but the Leafs and Oilers did discuss Nikolai Khabibulin.
-Vancouver cleared up over $4 million in cap space and Ott could be their target, according to Bob McKenzie.
-Mikhail Grabovsky could not reach an extension with Toronto and he could be moved.