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New York Rangers: Post lockout March Madness bracket region 3

By Nicholas Zararis

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 09: Former Rangers player Rick Nash takes the ice to drop the ceremonial puck prior to the game between the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden on March 9, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 09: Former Rangers player Rick Nash takes the ice to drop the ceremonial puck prior to the game between the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden on March 9, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 17: Rick Nash #61 of the New York Rangers skates against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on February 17, 2018 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 17: Rick Nash #61 of the New York Rangers skates against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on February 17, 2018 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

Rick Nash (1) vs David Desharnais (16)

When the New Jersey Devils dramatically eliminated the Rangers in game six of the 2011 Eastern Conference finals one thing was blatantly clear, New York just didn’t score enough. So, that off-season, Sather ponied up two of his team’s core pieces Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov as well as a first-round pick to acquire Rick Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

This was a big game hunt trade for the Rangers, it told the rest of the league that the team that lost because a lack of offense wasn’t going to have issues anymore. Even though Nash’s tenure in New York wasn’t as offensively proficient as he was in Columbus, he was still one of the best players on a team that went to the cup final and won the President’s trophy.

Nash’s 42 goal year in the 2014-2015 season drove the team to the league’s best record and he recorded 14 points in 19 games during the postseason. While the team never did win the Cup with the former first overall pick, he was easily the biggest trade piece the Rangers acquired since the lockout.

There’s not a ton to say about forward David Desharnais’ 73 games as a member of the Rangers. The center was brought in to provide depth down the middle on a team that was expected to compete for a cup again. However, Lias Andersson proved unread to slide into the number three center role which forced Desharnais up the depth chart.

This led to a shotgun marriage in which a depth player was forced to try and produce above his means. Desharnais is now playing in the KHL at 32 years old, while he wasn’t a major impact, he was a solid depth player and should be remembered for being more than just a former Montreal Canadien.

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