Rick Nash To Move To Left Wing For New York Rangers This Season?
Live Feed
Union and Blue
Rick Nash spent the first nine years of his career, when he was a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, playing mostly on the left wing. But then, for some odd reason, when he was acquired by the New York Rangers before the 2012-13 NHL season, then Rangers head coach John Tortorella switched him over from his natural left wing position to play right wing, where Nash has been playing with the Rangers ever since.
Even last season, with a new head coach in Alain Vigneault, Nash was still used at right wing throughout the year, but I give Vigneault the benefit of the doubt. This is because when the Rangers first hired him, I am sure Vigneault studied film from the previous season to learn about his new players and during the entire previous season, Nash was at right wing. I highly doubt any head coach has the time to look at film from a player in years past, when they were not even a member of the team, unless of course he was the head coach when the Rangers first acquired Nash, which Vigneault was not. So for that reason, I give Vigneault the benefit of the doubt.
So with training camp in the NHL now underway, Vigneault has addressed the media, stating that he will try Nash at left wing during training camp and see how he feels. Now obviously there will be some rust, since Nash has played right wing over the past two seasons, but I do not think this will be an issue. He is not far removed from his left wing days, so I believe he should pick it back up rather quickly.
In my opinion, if Nash feels and looks good at left wing during training camp, then the Rangers should switch him back to his natural position because it is really no secret that Nash has been a disappointment since the Rangers have acquired him. Nash was a mostly 30, and sometimes 40, goal scorer on many bad Blue Jackets teams, so we all just figured with his skill set that once Nash was surrounded by other skilled players on a good team that his offensive numbers would increase. However, we were all wrong.
More from Rangers News
- Blake Wheeler’s Broadway Calling: Why He Chose the Rangers
- Rangers’ Playoff Redemption Recipe: Grit and Fresh Hopes
- Brennan Othmann and Will Cuylle Set to Shine in the NHLPA Rookie Showcase
- Chris Kreider has had quite the Summer
- Andy Hosler Takes Helm as Head Athletic Trainer for the New York Rangers, Succeeding Jim Ramsay
Nash’s 21 and 26 goal seasons in his first 2 years with the Rangers, totaling 42 and 39 points, are just not going to cut it. Now do I think Nash not playing his natural left wing position had something to do with his two down seasons with the Rangers? Yes, I believe it played a little bit of a factor but not as much as his multiple concussion problems since joining the Rangers.
He will never be the same player he once was, but maybe if Nash is able to stay healthy and start at his natural position, he may have a bounce back season in 2014-15 and possibly win back the many Rangers fans he has lost over the past two years.