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Chris Russell | DISPATCH

Rick Nash has been captain of the Blue Jackets since 2008.

Dispatch Blue Jackets beat writer Aaron Portzline answered readers' questions during an hourlong chat today. Here's the transcript:

11:59:26 Rob_(moderator): Look what the trade winds blew in. Hi, Porty.

12:00:08 Portzline: They are heavy breezes, aren't they. Full of anticipation and worry for many people.

12:00:14 wee_ice_mon: AP, your coverage has been great inthe lsat few days as the turmoil seriously begins, thank you. Please explain why the CBJ thinks they can come close to getting a fair return in a trade for Rick Nash? I may be overvaluing him, but it seem to me that everytime a superstar player of his ability is traded, the team that trades him doesn't get enough in return.  

12:03:32 Portzline: History is a mixed bag on this, but there are plenty of cases, yes, where a team trades a star player for a several different pieces, none of which comes close to what they traded away. The Blue Jackets won't trade Nash for three "tweeners" and some goal netting. They'll get good players in return, probably some combination of proven player, high-end prospect and draft picks. More than anything, I believe this is the club signaling a desire to completely overhaul the organization and building it from the groud up. If they get fair return for Nash, they'd probably be happy. This is a big-time deal, though, and the gravity of the situation is pretty obvious.

12:03:40 jackets4life: We're seen first hand with Carter how important it is to have a major player like this town and want to be here. Nash is all that and more. If he leaves will any All Star ever want to come here again?

12:07:29 Portzline: Until this club proves it's a winner, builds a contender and puts together a few seasons of sustained success, it will be hard to get quality players to commit to playing here. That's a reflection of the organization, not the city. Players love it here. But they want to win. They want to be part of an organization that is thriving and lively. Until it gets turned around, they'll have to draft and nurture high-end talent, which they've never done well. The other absolute MUST is that the organization develop and identity and start building it, not the other way around. "Who are you?" That's a question that must be answered. When you know who you are, you can add pieces that other clubs may take for granted, but guys who fit perfectly into what you're doing, the role you have defined for them. Until you know who you are, you can't possibly know what you need. And that, to me, is a big reason the Blue Jackets have wandered aimlessly for 11 seasons.

12:07:39 cpa3b: CBJ looked good last night.  All played hard - even Nash.  Why do you think Nash does not choose to play hard every game (like Ovechkin)?  Why did he come out and throw two good checks on first shift and keep it up all game?  I'd like to keep him if he showed effort every game.

12:11:12 Portzline: Wait. Like Ovechkin? Maybe you haven't seen him the last couple of years, but he's a shadow of his former self these days. I know what you're saying about Nash. He was much more visible last night. With all the stuff going around, I think he felt it important to step up and perform at a high level. I'm not among those who think he dogs it most nights. This is a very tough league in which to be a power forward. Could he be better some nights? Absolutely. But I don't know that it's an effort thing. Having said that, I think he'll be invigorated by his new club IF he's traded. I think cruise control for many is an acceptable setting in Columbus. (HOLY SMOKES, I just managed to contradict myself in one answer.)

12:11:20 BeardedJacket: I have to admit, much of my excitement surrounding Columbus' win of the All-Star Game 2013 was the idea that Rick Nash would get the chance to show his All-Star pals how great the city is, how great the fans are and sort of vindicate his decision to remain a Blue Jacket.  The ASG 2013 was to be hosted by Rick Nash as much as anything or anyone else.  Thoughts?

12:13:27 Portzline: I know for a fact that the arrival of the ASG weighed heavily on the Blue Jackets in terms of making the decisions they did leading up to the trade deadline. It will be truly bizarre if they gut the roster and are in the bottom five of the league next year when the league begins arriving in Columbus. But five years from now, people may look back and agree that a rebuild was the best step to take.

12:13:32 cbjfan: So AP, let me see if I have this straight.  It seems with the announcement of Nash being on the trading block, the CBJ is heading towards the nuclear option.  But the architect of the current team that needs to be blown up is going to be allowed to stay and make those changes.  The other actual competent GMs in the NHL must be licking their chops right about now...right?

12:17:34 Portzline: It would appear that GM Scott Howson is safe, yes. I can't imagine you would let a GM carry your club through a trade deadline and then fire him after the season, but this club has made moves at strange times previously. Lots of people are crushed right now that the club would even consider trading Nash; others think it's high time to blow it up and start over. But a prevailing concern -- in my in box, twitter feed, etc. -- is that the people who have driven the Blue Jackets to this point (bloated salaries, last place in the league) are being entrusted with this project. That's only fair to say right now.

12:17:48 TheUnknownFan: Is there any way, in your opinion that the relationship with Nash can be fixed and he will remain in Columbus?  As I see it, this is the worst management decision this "brain trust" could come up with...  and it reaks of Howson trying to put his indellible mark on this franchise.

12:20:47 Portzline: Was thinking about this a lot yesterday, and in fact had a staff meeting (ahem, Tip Top with the Spindoctors lead singer and John Popper) to discuss this very topic. If there's any player who could rectify being dangled and not traded, it would be Nash. The guy does not take things personally. If they decide there are no fair offers out there, then maybe Howson decides to hang on to him and trade him at the draft or over the summer. Awkward, but not impossible. Still, I think the best interest of both parties is to get this done quickly.

12:20:55 youcantbeatthewiz: With the Nash rumors gaining more steam than Carter rumors, could you see a situation where Howson trades Nash and keeps Carter?  Or is it if Nash goes, then Carter goes and the "nuclear" option begins.

12:22:39 Portzline: No, I don't think the two are related. The team really wants to trade Carter. It will be interesting to see if they can, but they are trying very hard to. Nash is its own situation. To me and to others I've spoken to around the league, the willingness to trade Nash and Carter is the acknowledgement that a major overhaul is coming. Please fasten your seatbelts.

12:22:50 Ben in NC: Play the role of vegas bookie: odds on Nash actually being traded?

12:25:12 Portzline: I'm bad at this. Ask my wife. I'll say it's 75-80 percent he gets dealt.

12:25:18 Puck Dodgers: AP, Did it go down like this?  Rick, "Scott, I've given my all to Columbus, but things aren't going right and I want a chance to win a cup before my career is over.  Trade me, but I don't want this seen as me dumping and running on the franchise."  (By the way - I think he has earned every right to get out of Cbus and get a chance to win a cup.  I'll root for him...)

12:28:52 Portzline: No, it didn't. Read our stories in the paper today. The Blue Jackets, specifically Howson, have spent the last several weeks looking into the best way to handle the trade deadline. At last Wednesday's hockey ops meeting, this plan was forged, and over the weekend the Blue Jackets reached out to Nash and his agent, Joe Resnick, to see if they would be amenable to a trade. To me, it's like asking your wife if she would, "ya know, just on the off chance, considering maybe just a little bit, an, I don't know, divorce?" Once that's out there, there's no going back. I've known Nash for almost a decade now. We're not close and we're not buddies, but there's good trust and a good relationship there. I'm guessing he's bittersweet right now. Sad that it didn't work in Columbus -- assuming he gets dealth -- and yet rather excited to see how the other half have lived.

12:28:58 hdtvohio: Do you think any good prospects that we got for Rick Nash would stay in Columbus for the long term? That's my biggest issue. I worry that we found the one star who wanted to be here.

12:30:17 Portzline: Once players are here, they tend to want to stay. There have been exceptions, of course. I don't think they can go through life like that, though. If you start showing you're a winner, a line forms. You have to win. Identity first, results to follow.

12:30:38 cleesmith2: Any chance that the CBJ keep Nash, but give the C to Prospal (like the Sharks did with Marleau) so that Nash can focus solely on HIS game and get his productivity up?

12:32:08 Portzline: The 'C' seems destined to be headed toward Vinny, yes, but I find it hard to believe they would publicly embarrass Nash like that.

12:32:14 hockey_sage: This obviously would be a complex deal for Nash.  With over half of the teams in the League interested, would the Blue Jackets consider dealing the captain to Nashville, or another team within the division for that matter?  Nashville has a TON of cap space as well as an abundance of young/skilled defensemen and up and coming prospects.

12:34:15 Portzline: Well, Nash isn't going anywhere he doesn't want to go. He has a no-movement clause in his contract for this season and three more after that, then a limited no-trade clause. Essentially, what he's done is downgraded that NMC to a limited NTC, giving himself control over that. Would the Blue Jackets trade him to a division opponent? I would find that hard to fathom, but then ...

12:34:19 Portzline: Nash for Shea Weber?

12:34:23 Cobra_Comm@nder: When you've talked to McConnell, do you ask him what he thinks about so many hockey outleets calling his organization a "mess" or "laughingstock"?

12:36:21 Portzline: I do not. I ask him tough questions, but always keep it professional. Classy. Always classy. If those words had been used with regularity by a respected publication, perhaps it would be worth it to pose the question to him using their words, but I haven't seen that.

12:37:01 WNICOL: Who is responsible for directing a team's style or identity? The coach, GM, or owner?

12:37:49 Portzline: The general manager puts together the players, so it has to start with him. But you want it all to work in unison -- the GM hires a coach who fits the identity they're trying to build.

12:37:55 nashshouldstay: Has a city ever hosted an All-Star game without an All-Star in the game?  Wow have we really made a mess of this franchise.

12:41:03 Portzline: Not to my knowledge. I doubt the NHL would let that happen, either. There is no rule that requires a club be represented -- three or four clubs were not this year -- but I would think the NHL makes sure the host city has a player. There's also this: the starters are picked by popular vote, allowing the host team to flood the ballot box (think Chicago elections) and get players in the lineup who otherwise wouldn't be. You'll be hearing lots about this next fall, I promise you. VOTE LETESTU!!!

12:41:11 Cobra_Comm@nder: Mr. McConnell wondered in a recent Dispatch article about the fan protest why people are mad at Priest because "he doesn't make hockey decisions".  Yet, in almost every article I read about the club, from hiring coaches to deciding what players to keep or trade, Priest's name is mentioned as being one of the participants.   I still recall reading wher Doug McClean exclaimed that Priest "knows nothing about hockey".  IS JP so clueless as to not know where Priest fits in his organization and how mush damage his lack of hockey knowledge could be causing?

12:46:23 Portzline: Priest's role was set up to be a bridge between McConnell and Howson. All parties suggest that he has little to do with the on-ice product. He's not making trades, no, and he's not sitting in on contract talks. He's not drawing up the breakout or making moves on the power play. But he does play a role at the highest reaches of the organization. He has taken part in the process to hire a coach. He doesn't meet with the coaches in the coach's office after games. Did he rubber-stamp or push for the move to get Carter? I've heard that. He's involved on some level. Now, what McConnell said is that he doesn't make decisions. Does he weigh in on them?

12:46:27 DarrenM: Nice to chat with you again, AP. Thanks for your tweets and keeping us updated. Can you share the shortlist Nash has submitted for his NHL preferences? They had it on TSN briefly the other night but I forget most of the teams. I think I saw NYR, Philly, LA Kings and that's it. No Canadian Clubs I think (Darn).

12:49:07 Portzline: I have not seen the list, and I don't think anybody outside Howson, Nash or Resnick have seen it, either. Highly classified. I've called Julian Assange at WikiLeaks but no response. I've heard the Rangers and Sharks, and others.

12:49:17 vp: Its clear to me that our back end is awful...we don't have any other assets outside nash to move...if you got two top d men and a goalie I say make the deal...thoughts?

12:50:59 Portzline: Two top D-men, like Suter and Weber? Doubt that happens. The back end is thin right now, although it's competed like crazy the last couple of weeks and deserves credit for that. How many regulars are out, four? And all of them have been right-side guys, which is quite a blow. What you're seeing is now the full cast of players.

12:51:08 matt: You mentioned that San Jose is a possible destination, but it doesn't seem to pencil. You think Sharks have a real interest in Nash, or is it the other way around?

12:52:37 Portzline: It could just be the other way around, I suppose. But look at the Sharks. They've been a good team that can't quite get it done in the playoffs. Really, really good, but can't get over the hump. I would think they'd have to be interested. But, we'll see.

12:52:42 Paul in Wyoming: Johansen ruined yet? Or does he need more time in the skybox until he reaches that point? Based on how he is being handled, I'm not sure even prospects will want to play in Columbus.

12:54:13 Portzline: Imagine a Lindros situation at the draft. Egad. I don't get what they're doing with the kid, I really don't. He hasn't lit the world on fire lately when he's played, but I still don't see how it behooves a team to keep him out of the lineup. Further, he needs to be playing in the middle of the ice, to get used to playing center in the NHL. Take your lumps now, right?, when the games are meaningless.

12:54:27 cfallsfan: do you see the bulk of movement coming feb 27 or in the summer leading up to the draft?

12:55:53 Portzline: Certainly the UFA players will go before Feb. 27. I think the club would like to make the Nash move sooner rather than later, and that's certainly true with Carter, too. But as for the others, we'll see.

12:56:07 B214: I may be all alone in my thinking here, but I think the main problem now is JPM, who seems to be doing his best to emulate Mike Brown in Cincinnati, aiming for literally decades of futility.  How can he possibly believe that Priest and Howson are even marginally capable of rebuilding this team?  I think JPM should fire Priest and Howson, take two or three steps back and let new president/acting GM Patrick take over.  Your thoughts?

13:00:13 Portzline: I see more a comparison with the new Browns. A well-intended owner who is willing to spend, but the results haven't been there. We've reported -- I believe it was last Sunday -- that the Blue Jackets' front office has far less experience than other front offices around the league. McConnell admitted as much, which is what made it an even more powerful story. The hiring of Patrick is a step in the right direction; he's certainly got experience and track record. But McConnell has signaled that the search is on for still more experience, not as a replacement to anybody on staff but in addition to. I will say this, it's only fair to shine a light on the people at the top. When a club maxes out the salary cap and sits at the bottom of the NHL, you got problems.

13:00:22 Rob_(moderator): Thanks, everyone. We'll do it again next week. Possibly sooner, if necessary. That's a wrap.

13:00:38 Portzline: Thanks for all the questions. Have great weeks.