There have been rumors swirling that Rick Nash will be leaving the New York Rangers this offseason. If he is to leave, the Rangers have a handful of options to replace him. It’s all about finding the perfect match.
Rick Nash’s time with the New York Rangers may be limited. The freshly 33-year-old right winger is entering the final season of his eight-year, $62.4 million deal and has been underperforming, to say the least.
When Nash was acquired by the Rangers, he was a premier goal scorer and point producer in the league. Only in his rookie season did he post less than 50 points for the Blue Jackets. That hasn’t been the case with the Rangers. Since the Rangers traded for Nash before the lockout-shortened 2012-2013 season, Nash has only had one season of 50+ points.
Nash also has a tendency to go dark in the playoffs. In 77 career playoff games, Nash only has 41 points, which is far below what should be expected of a player carrying an almost $8 million cap hit. In 12 playoff games in the 2016-2017 season, Nash scored 3 goals and added 2 assists for a dismal 5 points.
Still, though, Nash has been one of the Ranger’s most important pieces. He provides veteran leadership to the locker room of young players, much like Dan Girardi had. Nash also contributes on the power play, with 6 power play goals and 3 assists last season.
It’s possible for the Rangers to replace Nash if they chose to deal him. There are a number of options for the Rangers to pick from.