Report: ‘Status Quo’ On Rick Nash Front
Those looking for an update on free agent winger and recent Boston Bruins deadline addition Rick Nash will have to keep waiting, as Nash’s agent provided more of the same to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Friday.
“Nothing has changed since July 1,” agent Joe Resnick told Friedman. “Status quo.”
That ‘nothing’ Resnick is talking about is Nash’s decision to forego the free agency period as he took his time to instead contemplate his future in hockey. A veteran of 1,060 NHL games, but with several concussions to his name, the 6-foot-4 Nash had a difficult end to his year, with a concussion in a Mar. 17 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning knocking him out of action for close to a month. Nash, who switched to a dark visor upon his return, returned for the B’s playoff run, but struggled to the tune of three goals and five points in 12 games, and looked more fatigued as the Black and Gold’s run continued on into May.
Even so, several teams inquired on the 34-year-old winger when free agency opened, according to Friedman, and it’s believed that one team offered Nash’s camp a three-year contract worth $16 million in total.
It’s also believed that the Bruins have done their part to maintain an open dialogue with No. 61’s representatives, and Bruins general manager Don Sweeney has said he ‘respects the hell out of Nash’ no matter the decision he makes for his own future.
Whether Sweeney has a roster spot for Nash, however, is a different story.
With Nash out of the picture, the Bruins are going to give several different players looks at their second-line right wing spot. On Friday that included Danton Heinen riding to the right of David Krejci, while the other squad’s practice in China saw Ryan Donato line up opposite Jake DeBrusk (Krejci’s most common linemate last season). And it’s worth noting that Donato, who is a natural left winger, spent a significant portion of his offseason training on the right side.
Anders Bjork, who scored four goals and 12 points in 30 NHL games last year, is also a left-shot that can play the right side.
Acquired from the New York Rangers in exchange for Ryan Spooner, Matt Beleskey, defensive prospect Ryan Lindgren, and a 2018 first-round pick, Nash scored three goals and totaled six points in 11 games in Boston prior to his concussion.
And should the veteran Nash decide to come back to pro hockey this season, the Bruins theoretically have the cap space to sign him to a one-year contract, as the Adam McQuaid trade has left the team with over $5 million in available cap room.