NHL Trade Rumors: Are You OK With Trading Brandon Dubinsky?

With the NHL trade deadline rapidly approaching we have heard Brandon Dubinsky'sname thrown into nearly every trade rumor. Dubinsky -- who signed a four-year pact with a $4.2 million cap hit this past offseason -- is having a notably down season this year, something that's forced John Tortorella to limit his minutes.

Dubinsky is an obvious candidate for a trade, especially if Glen Sather pulls the trigger on a deal for Dustin Brown or Rick Nash. Dubinsky is an NHL-ready player with 20-goal potential, the ability to play on both the power play and penalty kill and does whatever it takes to win.

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There are some out there who won't even entertain the thought of trading Dubinsky because of that last line: "does whatever it takes to win."

Look, I won't disagree that Dubinsky has been, and still is, an important member of this team. But with the emergence of Ryan Callahan (both offensively and as a leader), the gritty play of guys like Brian Boyle, Brandon Prust, John Mitchell and Ruslan Fedotenko, Dubinsky has watched himself slide from an integral cog of the Rangers' core.

The gritty style of play Dubinsky boasts is also a talent held by many other Rangers. What made Dubinsky different (akin to Callahan) is his ability to do the intangibles and score goals. This year that hasn't been the case.

I suppose a big part of this question has to do with who Dubinsky is traded for. Nash is miles the player Dubinsky is in terms of offensive skill, and, personally, I think Dubinsky's grit and heart is replaced by a plethora of players on the Rangers. It's a strength this team has from top to bottom, which is another reason why I think it's OK to trade Dubinsky (for the right player).

Personally Nash is that player. But forgetting Nash, would you be OK with trading Dubinsky?