New York Rangers roundtable: Best trade of the Lundqvist era

Nick Zararis- The Nash trade (to the Rangers)

Before you run and grab your pitchfork, hear me out.

I’m amongst the most intense of Rick Nash’s critics for his time with the Rangers. But the fact of the matter is the veteran forward was ultimately a steal considering what the Rangers gave up.

At the time, giving up both Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov seemed like a lot. However, the Rangers were never going to be able to afford to keep both of these forwards. In addition, adding Nash gave the team a bonafide top six forward, something neither Dubinsky or Anisimov ever were or ever would be.

With the benefit of hindsight, it is clear that the Rangers made the right decision.

The team got nearly seven years out of Nash to the tune of 148 goals and 258 points. On the other hand, the Blue Jackets healthy scratched Dubinsky during the playoffs and traded Anisimov two years ago.

On top of that, the third round pick the Rangers got from Columbus was used to select Pavel Buchnevich. So, Nash and Buchnevich for Dubinsky and Anisimov is a deal that will continue to pay dividends for years to come.