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Will the CBA uncertainty be a roadblock in CBJ’s efforts to trade Nash?

Rick Nash

Columbus Blue Jackets’ Rick Nash warms up for the Blue Jackets’ NHL hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings in Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. Nash had asked to be traded, but no deal was made before the trade deadline. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)

AP

We recently discussed the possibility of Rick Nash still being a member of the Blue Jackets by the time training camp starts. As awkward as that might be for Columbus, there are a few reasons to be less optimistic about the possibility of Nash being dealt.

Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch touched on one of the big roadblocks: The ongoing CBA negotiations.

Until we have a new CBA, it’s hard to know what the salary cap will be next season, but based on recent reports, it sounds like the owners might attempt to significantly lower the ceiling. With that in mind, it’s hard for interested parties to accurately determine if they can afford Nash’s $7.8 million annual cap hit.

Compounding the problem is that we don’t know when the next CBA will be signed. If teams are reluctant to sacrifice key prospects and players to acquire Nash from Columbus until they know where they stand CBA-wise, they might need to wait for a while. The current CBA isn’t set to expire until Sept. 15 and it’s possible that this issue might push back the start of training camp.

In other words, the summer could be over by the time the GMs have a good grasp of what the salary cap will look like going forward and that’s just another reason why Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson might not be able to find anyone willing to agree to his reportedly high asking price for Nash.