Top Shelf: Blue Jackets can't keep Nash forever
Hockey Betting Lines
02/14/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the NHL's trade deadline less than two weeks away, the rumor mill is churning faster and faster every day. On Monday, it finally spun out a name worth getting excited about.
For the most part, the deadline is used by some NHL teams to add depth needed for a playoff push, while teams who aren't in postseason contention try to sell off veteran assets to acquire cheaper prospects.
It's pretty rare that a bona-fide superstar is put on the block, but with the recent addition of Columbus forward Rick Nash to the mix, there could be a legitimate superstar to be had before the Feb. 27 deadline.
According to RDS, Canada's French-language equivalent of TSN, the Blue Jackets are open to trading Nash to a host of potential suitors. Of course, Columbus general manager Scott Howson will not confirm or deny the report, but the mere suggestion that Nash is available is enough to set off a race to acquire the sniper's services.
If the report is true and Columbus is seriously considering offers for Nash, it would seem that the New York Rangers would be one of the main suitors. The Rangers are the top team in the Eastern Conference, but the Blueshirts have done it more with defense and acquiring a big-time offensive talent like Nash could be the difference in winning a Stanley Cup or coming up short.
Landing Nash would most likely require New York to part with coveted forward prospect and current Boston College standout Chris Kreider. And that's just a starting point, as the Rangers would almost certainly have to include a player from their current NHL roster (Brandon Dubinsky's name has been mentioned already) and Columbus also will likely be seeking a first-round draft pick as well.
But, the Rangers won't be the only team dialing Howson's number in the coming weeks, and in the end, Nash's no-trade clause will ensure he has the final say on any potential trade.
Since being taken first overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2002 draft. Nash has become synonymous with Columbus hockey. However, through little fault of his own, Columbus hockey itself is synonymous with being a perennial doormat.
A five-time All-Star, Nash has averaged over 32 goals a season since breaking into the league in 2002-03. A one-man show, Nash has led the team in goals every year since his second season and that includes 2005-06, when he paced the Jackets with 31 goals despite playing in just 54 games. And, yes, the 27- year-old is leading Columbus in goals once again this season with 18 markers.
So what has changed now for the Blue Jackets that has reportedly led them to consider dealing Nash? In reality, the reason for his sudden availability is that nothing has ever changed in Columbus. The franchise has qualified for the postseason just once since entering the league as an expansion team in 2000 and with an NHL-low 38 points through 56 games this season, the Jackets are all but assured of going into the offseason early yet again.
For a franchise that has pretty much done nothing but lose since it came into existence, the club's failures this season have been especially hard to take. Columbus made waves in the offseason, signing defenseman James Wisniewski to a six-year, $33 million deal and acquiring centerman Jeff Carter in a blockbuster trade with Philadelphia.
Both Wisniewski and Carter have been dogged by injuries this year and neither is having a banner season. But, Carter has really been the fly in the ointment for Columbus. The former Flyer got off to an awkward start with his new club in the summer when he was unhappy with being dealt to Columbus and his 12 goals and eight assists in 35 games this season are a clear indicator that Carter has let his personal feelings get in the way of his play.
It's not surprising the Blue Jackets are actively trying to pass the disgruntled Carter onto another team before the trade deadline, but his failure to catch on in Columbus also has greased the wheels for Nash's potential departure. Nash was supposed to benefit from finally having a top- line centerman like Carter, but the two have obviously failed to develop chemistry, a fact that isn't all that surprising since Carter has always been better at scoring goals than setting up his linemates.
It's hard to keep a talent like Nash when Columbus seems to be forever stuck in a holding pattern. The Blue Jackets had full intentions of building a team around Nash, as evidenced by the eight-year, $62 million extension he signed in the summer of 2009, but it simply hasn't worked.
With the way the club has floundered again this season, Columbus is staring at yet another a rebuilding project and it just doesn't make much sense for the team or Nash to go through that process together. It's hard to rebuild what was never built in the first place and while dealing away the only game- changing piece the franchise ever had may seem counter-productive, both Nash and Columbus could benefit greatly from a fresh start.
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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting
So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.
Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?
If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)
Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).
In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.
Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.
| The Bubble Breakdown | |||
| CONFERENCE | LOCKS | SHOULD BE INS | AT-LARGES TAKEN (assuming no auto bid outlier) |
| ACC Betting Odds | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| Big East Betting Odds | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| Big Ten Betting Odds | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Big 12 Betting Odds | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Pac-10 Betting Odds | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| SEC Betting Odds | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| MVC Betting Odds | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| MWC Betting Odds | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| TOTAL | 28 | 5 | 25 |
As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.
(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)
If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.
Atlantic Coast Conference
Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech
The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.
Work left to do:
Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.
Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).
Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.
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