Despite missing two practices this week, the Blue Jackets expect Rick Nash to be in the lineup Saturday night against Vancouver. It seems he has a lower body issue that required a little rest. Expect him to play in the Jackets' games from here on in but sit out the odd practice now and again should the issue continue to bother him.

Rick Nash missed practice on Thursday after missing practice Tuesday. Nash played on Wednesday but is being bothered by an undisclosed injury. "He's got something that is nagging," coach Todd Richards said. "I can't get specific. It's just something that we're monitoring. Once we hit Saturday, we'll play 12 games in 22 days. It's going to be about how we get through the games. Energy and health are going to be a big issue." Stay tuned.

Rick Nash scored twice and assisted once to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-2 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday night. The star winger has put his end-of-the-season status with the Jackets aside and produced at a very high level lately with seven goals over his last six games. Twenty-four goals and 47 points are certainly off the pace he's capable of producing at, but he still could be a difference maker down the stretch for fantasy leagues, despite the talent-stricken team he plays for. Columbus scored three times in the third period, with goals going to Nikita Nikitin (fourth), Derick Brassard (12th) and Colton Gillies (second). Brassard also had an assist.

The Columbus Blue Jackets fans reacted warmly to Rick Nash during their game against Detroit on Tuesday. It certainly sounds like a vocal portion of the 14,333 fans that attended Tuesday's game weren't upset over the revelation that Nash requested a trade. Nash scored a power-play goal, but the Blue Jackets ended up losing 5-2. That's a microcosm of Nash's NHL career and as good an example as any for why he wants to play somewhere else.

Rick Nash scored a goal in the Blue Jackets' 5-2 loss to Detroit Tuesday. On the day after the NHL trade deadline, its most popular figure scored his 22nd of the season in a losing effort. Derek MacKenzie added a shorthanded marker in the third period.

Rick Nash is expected to remain the captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the remainder of the season. It might be awkward having a team leader that, as Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson has now revealed to the public, requested a trade. Still, it's not like Columbus can fall further in the standings. In terms of offensive production, we don't expect Nash to collapse in the final weeks of the season, but he won't be great either.

Although Rick Nash wasn't traded before the trade deadline, he wanted to be. Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson acknowledged that Nash asked to be traded, but Howson didn't get a deal he liked. This revelation might make things a bit more awkward as Columbus finishes up the 2011-12 campaign. It seems very likely that Columbus will trade Nash around the 2012 NHL entry draft or during the free agent period.

With roughly a half an hour before the trade deadline, teams are making a late push to pry Rick Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus Dispatch writer Aaron Portzline described the behind the scenes situation involving Nash as "frantic." If the Blue Jackets decide against trading Nash in the dying minutes of the trade deadline, then they'll have to hope that they can get a better offer over the summer.

Rick Nash choose to be diplomatic when asked if he shared his agent's hopes that he would be traded before the trade deadline at 3pm EST on Monday. "No comment," Nash said, before adding, "It has been a great time living in Columbus. I'm a Blue Jacket today and I'm doing everything I can to move forward with this team. Like I've said before, the fans deserve a winning game, they deserve a winning team, and they're the ones who have been most patient." There is plenty of interest in Nash, but the Blue Jackets have been keeping their demands high. They might be hoping that a club gets desperate in the final hours before the deadline and parts with more than they should in order to get Nash. We'll find out soon enough.

Reports indicate that the Columbus Blue Jackets might be asking for more than the New York Rangers are willing to part with for Rick Nash. Then again, this could also be simply a speed bump in the road for a deal to get done. It's rarely safe to assume that a deal is done or dead based on the fluctuations of the latest reports.