In USA Today, Kevin Allen suggests that in addition to shopping Rick Nash, Columbus is willing to deal the second overall pick in the draft.  Allen writes that though it’s highly unlikely, it would be quite the blockbuster if Nash and the second pick were packaged in the same deal.

The current asking price for Nash according to Allen is, “a premium young prospect, a first-round draft pick and a couple of players who can play immediately.”  There are various other reports of Columbus GM Scott Howson demanding a king’s ransom for Nash and unless Howson laments and is willing to accept a lesser package, the Rangers won’t be acquiring the big power forward.

However, would the combination of young assets New York would be willing to part with increase dramatically if the second pick is involved too?

If the price for Nash is already sky high, it’s likely that the pieces needed to get both Nash and the second selection would be completely ridiculous.  There’s no way the Rangers would be willing to satisfy Howson, but it’s still interesting to speculate.

Say the Rangers have it on high authority that Edmonton is prepared to select defenseman Ryan Murray first overall.  That means that Nail Yakupov, a special talent by all accounts, could be sitting there at #2.

If the Rangers are convinced that Yakupov is going to be a top-10 talent in the league, then maybe it does make sense to at least gauge how absurd Howson’s asking price would be.

It’d be foolish not to inquire as the Nash negotiations continue, but when Howson replies that three-first round picks, Ryan McDonagh, Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan and Tim Erixon might get him to start talking, then GM Glen Sather should erase Howson’s phone number from his address book for good.

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