Well, he’s not asking for a trade, at least. This coming after RDS reported that Jeff Carter asked to be traded from Columbus.
The Columbus Dispatch’s Aaron Portzline reports:
“I haven’t talked with one single person from RDS,” Carter said. “I don’t know where they came up with that. I haven’t said anything or asked for anything.”
Carter pointed out, halfheartedly, that the article was accurate in one aspect: He’s not happy right now. “I don’t think anybody is happy (in the dressing room) right now,” Carter said. “If anybody is happy in this room, they shouldn’t be. We’ve won three games.
I have to believe that Carter and his agent would be smarter than that, even if he did want a trade. He hasn’t played well in Columbus, partially due to missing a big stretch of games with a hairline fracture in his foot. But if he were to pout about the trade from Philadelphia, then dog it in Columbus and request a trade shortly after, what team would want a player like that?
Playing average hockey on a bad team isn’t going to hurt his reputation. Just ask Rick Nash.
But I do believe Carter when he says that he and Nash have bonded, and if Nash wants to be a part of the solution, I see Carter sticking it out with him. After all, one of the stinging points in the trade from Philadelphia was leaving his best friend, Mike Richards, who had been traded to Los Angeles at the same time.
Ultimately, I’m not worried about Carter. Much like Nash, the scoring will come, and his game will get back on track. It’s everything else around them that makes me nervous.
In other news, Curtis Sanford will start again tonight against the Predators. Sanford is making his second straight start after losing to the Bruins in a 2-1 shootout loss. This was the best performance by a goalie the Blue Jackets had seen all year, and it’s exactly the type of play the team needs to get headed in the right direction. If there’s any argument for finding a permanent replacement for Steve Mason, Thursday’s game would be solid evidence in support of that cause.