Blue Line Station
Fansided

Former Rangers great has yet to gain any Hockey Hall of Fame recognition

ByJustin Bonhard|
Feb 13, 2018; Saint Paul, MN, USA; New York Rangers forward Rick Nash (61) during a game between the Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images
Feb 13, 2018; Saint Paul, MN, USA; New York Rangers forward Rick Nash (61) during a game between the Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images | Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images

One of the best goal-scorers in NHL history has yet to gain any momentum toward a Hall of Fame nomination. Rick Nash, who spent six fantastic seasons with the New York Rangers, has missed the final ballot since 2022.

Will he ever make it into the Hall of Fame? Should he have been on this year's ballot?

Hall of Fame worthy?

Nash spent 15 seasons in the NHL, having nine as the first draft pick ever for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and then the aforementioned six years in New York. All before finishing out his career with the Boston Bruins and retiring from the game at the end of the 2017-18 season.

In 1,060 games, he scored 437 goals and added 368 assists for 805 points. Known for his prolific goal-scoring ability and blazing speed, Nash was a game-changer from the start of his career to the finish. He was a fan-favorite with the Rangers, and that was from the very moment the trade was announced involving Tim Erixon, Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov.

Nash did not get a chance to lift the Stanley Cup, but he did bring home hardware after his sophomore season in 2003-04. With 41 goals, he led the league in scoring and won the Rocket Richard trophy.

In terms of making it into the Hall of Fame, without a Stanley Cup on your resume is a hard knock on the nomination. It is the most sought-after prize and a key accolade to have. The saving grace for Nash is the Richard trophy, as well as eclipsing the 400-goal plateau.

The Hockey Hall of Fame is for international hockey as well, and Nash was a two-time Olympic gold medalist, a one-time World Championships gold medalist and two-time silver medalist, and a one-time Spengler Cup winner. That adds a little to his resume for a career that could have been better had he not been impacted by concussions.

More yes then no

Nash has a better chance of getting into the Hockey Hall of Fame then to not get into it. He was a human highlight reel and completely revolutionized the game with his sleek dekes and unbelievable shooting accuracy.

The Rangers hopeful loved every minute of his tenure. Nash was a key part of the 2013-14 and 2014-15 playoff runs. And that was after lighting up the competition for better part of a decade in Columbus, performing moves like this to score goals.

Will Nash ever make onto the most prestigious team in hockey, the Hall of Fame?