What does Nash's market look like?

Even though we are only days into the Rick Nash trade rumors, it already feels like a decade of awful proposals. We saw a certain unnamed rumor monger infer he would go to Los Angeles for a ridiculously unfathomable package which we can happily ignore, as Columbus Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson will want a bit more than a promising young goalie and some throw-ins.

In order for a club to land Nash, they likely will need to be creative, and very generous. From what I understand, the consensus think the Jackets will ask for a future starting goalie and/or promising youngsters, making only a few teams viable options. Jonathan Bernier, Tuukka Rask, Cory Schneider, Sergei Bobrovsky and possibly Anders Lindback all fill this billing, but would their teams actually be willing to package such potential, plus more, for the could-be superstar? Furthermore, would Howson accept a trade for a goalie prospect like Jacob Markstrom or Braden Holtby?

Taking a look at those demands could make it difficult for a few teams like the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins or Nash's hometown Toronto Maple Leafs to swing a deal. Trading Rask in the middle of a playoff race would be risky, especially if Tim Thomas' 37-year-old body doesn't hold up. Meanwhile, the Leafs and Rangers would need to generate this blue-chip goalie in order to seriously entertain a trade -- something they probably can't, and shouldn't do during the season.

That leaves the Flyers, Kings, Predators and Canucks as the only teams with a legitimate shot at grabbing the Brampton, Ont., native. However, those four teams must be on his list of teams, which might be a deal-breaker for a few of those clubs.

Nevertheless, let's take a look at what some of these offers could look like.

If acquired by the Canucks, Nash would join an incredibly talented forward core, which already includes the Sedin twins, Ryan Kesler, Alex Burrows and David Booth. And while it would likely mean a sell-high opportunity on Cory Schneider, it would also create havoc on their salary cap as soon as next season. Moreover, Nash would become the highest paid player on the team which could possibly rub some of those infamous personalities the wrong way. Nevertheless, a package of Cody Hodgson, Chris Tanev, Schneider and Mason Raymond looks pretty attractive.

The Kings could potentially match the Canucks' offer, starting with the aforementioned Bernier (and possibly Jack Johnson). By adding Andrei Loktionov, Slava Voynov or a first round pick, Nash could possibly be shipped off to Los Angeles, where he would finally give Anze Kopitar that scoring winger he's always needed. But Kings GM Dean Lombardi would probably hesitate to part with even more of his future after mortgaging half the farm for Mike Richards last offseason; especially since it wouldn't guarantee more scoring.

By comparison, the Flyers might have the strongest package to offer. Not only do they have the most NHL-capable starting goalie in Bobrovsky -- who has already handled the role -- but they have one of the strongest cupboards. GM Paul Holmgren could choose to dangle any of his excellent rookies, from Sean Couturier to Matt Read or Brayden Schenn and probably have that offer accepted. There's also the possibility of shipping James van Riemsdyk, who has been out with a concussion since January 12th, which would probably limit the additional required assets.

Even though the Flyers can afford the price, does the top scoring team in the league actually need another scoring forward?

The biggest wild card looks like the Predators. And while they play in the same division, these two clubs find themselves at complete opposite sides of the ice. Howson could swing a deal with his rivals in hopes that by the time his team recovers, the Preds go on a rebuild of their own. A package surrounding Ryan Ellis, Lindback and a first-rounder could get the job done, and would have a bigger impact if those players develop into Pred-killers. However, there would be a huge risk involved on both sides, which probably takes it off the table.

The Rangers have been viewed as favorites to acquire Nash, but would GM Glen Sather want to make such a big trade during a season in which his team has been uber-successful? Toronto lacks that one big-time prospect that would convince Howson to pull the trigger. San Jose has been rumored to be interested, but they may not have the assets.

To land a player like Nash, teams will certainly need to pay the price. We know that price will be steep, which makes the possibility of him moving before the deadline all the more intriguing. Expect the rumors to get even hotter as the February 27th trade deadline approaches.

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Ryan Porth contributed to this post