Would A Trade For Rick Nash Be The Best Move For Rangers?
It seems like every year we have this discussion of whether or not, and where to, the Columbus Blue Jackets will finally trade Rick Nash. With the Jackets stuck in a miserable season, it’s looking like this could finally be the year.
Of the teams mentioned as a possible landing spot, some of them coming in the form of silly trade rumors, two of the interested teams could be the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers.
It’s believed that the Rangers are in the market for another scorer and will seek to add one prior to this month’s trade deadline. Already with a good amount of defensive depth, and quite possibly the best player in the league in Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers believe that they are just a piece away from putting it all together and making a serious run at a Stanley Cup this season.
And that may be true. However, they would likely benefit more from pursuing someone other than Rick Nash.
Not that Rick Nash wouldn’t help the Rangers. He’s long been the only reason to even give a glance to Columbus’ NHL franchise and deserves to land with a team that could actually contend. But he’s going to cost a pretty penny, which takes away some of the logic for the Rangers, or the Bruins for that matter, to try and acquire him.
It’s been speculated that a package of Brandon Dubinsky, can’t-miss prospect Chris Kreider, and an assortment of other players, possibly a guy like Wojtek Wolski, and at least one early round draft pick. Nash is an elite talent, but that’s a lot to give up for anyone.
Part of the reason for the Rangers’ success this season is the fact that they’ve developed talent and grown from within, rather than relying on the big contracts. Acquiring Nash would not only require a boatload of young talent to bring in, but would leave them with a very large contract to handle.
Of course, sending Dubinsky, and possibly Wolski, back to Columbus helps out with a potential salary situation, but bringing in Nash would leave them with a cap hit of almost $8 million for another six years. Do the Rangers really want that on the books for that long?
Would Rick Nash be an incredible asset to the Rangers? Absolutely. I’m not discounting what he’d bring to their lineup. But considering the cost, both as far as personnel goes and financially, it might be better for the Rangers to seek a cheaper option, if it’s possible out on a thin trade market.
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