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After a rough go of it during the New York Rangers‘ run to the Stanley Cup Final in the 2014 playoffs, it looked like Rick Nash was on his way out of town. Trade and buyout rumors surrounded the winger during the offseason before he returned to New York as the Rangers looked to complete their unfinished business from last season. The Rangers are surely glad they kept Nash in the fold as he playing some of the best hockey of his career.
The Rangers have struggled with inconsistency all season, but Nash has been a rock in the lineup providing the bulk of the team’s offense. Nash is second in the NHL with 18 goals through the team’s first 26 games and has a real shot at his first 40-goal season since 2009. He’s also elevated the play of his teammates, as Derrick Brassard is playing as well as he ever has and Martin St. Louis continues to defy age every time he takes the ice with shifty moves and deft, crafty playmaking.
There’s a reason why Nash is making nearly $8 million per season, as he was one of the league’s elite goal scorers when he signed that deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2009. Some bad Columbus teams and inconsistency in New York saw Nash’s offense take a slight hit since then, but at age 30 he still has some great hockey left in him.
Playing in a tougher than expected Eastern Conference coupled with a less than stellar start to the season means the Rangers face an uphill battle to make the playoffs. That being said, if Nash keeps up his play and his other highly-paid teammates such as Ryan McDonagh and Henrik Lundqvist hit their stride, it would be foolish to count this New York team out. If the Rangers do make the playoffs, Nash would not only in all likelihood be their team MVP, but he would definitely garner some Hart Trophy consideration for league MVP as well.
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