Rick Nash is not gone yet. Least we forget the Blue Jackets Captain is still here. The link is a complete biography written on 2009. Read it please. Rick is the typical kid next door the “all Canadian Kid” what’s not to like? But that was 2009 this is 2012. what has changed? Actually both very little and a lot.
- The Blue Jackets are still not winners. I don’t mean just that they win greater that 50%, I mean winners!!. They weren’t then, they still aren’t.
- Nash has gone from signing an extended contract with a no trade clause to “asking” to be traded. Reasons for this “asking” have been reported as : 1] Riff with Blue Jackets management. 2] Riff with Scott Howson. 3] For the good of the team. 4] Tired of loosing and wants a Cup on his resume before he retires. 4] Riff with Coach Arniel. 5] And maybe others, and maybe all the above.
- The “asking” was not a demand. It apparently was submitted respectfully and with conditions of trade to certain teams only. Nash had to know that this made his trade possibilities more difficult. But apparently he did not DEMAND a trade.
- During this season, an “All Star” center was obtained to work with Nash to improve the team, the scoring and take some of the defensive pressure off Rick while he was on the ice. That didn’t work out as everyone knows. But it also put Nash into a role and positions he was not used to.
- Rick’s scoring statistics have dropped off a little from the 2007 – 2009 years. But this past year is the largest drop off. But he played 82 games, not the indication of a slacker or someone who has 1 foot out the door.
Here’s the bottom line. Would I keep Rick Nash? The answer is yes. It is far better to keep the devil you know then the one you might get. Even though we seem to be paying $7 million for 25-35 goals/season. But I would sure like it to be that he wanted to stay. Should he keep the C? It would be OK, but doubtful that he will never be the leader in the ROOM. The Jackets appear to have gone past that. His lead by example, which I think is his style is not what the jackets need at this point. The leaders appear by consensuses, not by appointment. And no we would not get a new goalie via a Nash trade, but that can still happen via other routes. Keep him if he wants to stay, if not he is trade bait. Would I be upset to drop a single player of $7 million? Not so much. Seems like it would be better to have 2 players @ $3.5 million each and both scoring 20+ goals/season. I can live with it either way.