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Rick Nash News & Rumors

Nash rumours becoming reality?
February 7
Sportsnet.ca
 
"Sportsnet has been running the HOCKEY CENTRAL Trade Tracker for a few weeks now in anticipation of the Feb. 27 deadline. It comes as no surprise that some of the players discussed will not be moved. And I think we've been pretty honest in saying that. But one player who just might be in the mix is Columbus Blue Jackets winger Rick Nash, who continually plays down the fact he will never ask for a trade. I have received a couple of calls from friends of Nash, who claim that Rick is very unhappy with the way the franchise is going and realizes it will take five more years to rebuild, again. Nash is now telling people close to him that he would entertain being moved, but still will not be the"
Reality check: Rick Nash in Maple Leafs' trade rumour of the day
February 1
Toronto Star
 
"Rick Nash is heading to Toronto as part of a six-player deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Okay. Now we have your undivided attention. As of Tuesday, that proposal is just a rumour, one of many swirling around the Internet involving the Maple Leafs. That rumour took on a life of its own after AM 640 hockey analyst Bill Watters tweeted it on Monday as something to watch as the Feb. 27 trade deadline approached, with the proviso that it was "one to smoke on" and "not inhale." In the rumoured deal, forwards Mikhail Grabovski and Nazem Kadri, along with defencemen Luke Schenn and Mike Komisarek would be heading to the Blue Jackets. Also coming to Toronto with Nash, 27, would be forward"
Three have come alive since firing
January 16
Columbus Dispatch
 
"The minor surge in the production of three principal Blue Jackets has in part coincided with a midseason coaching change. Forwards Rick Nash, Derick Brassard and Antoine Vermette have perked up in recent days, but Nash said it is unclear what impact a potential turnaround might have on a last-place team bracing for more changes. "It's a really tough situation, and it's tough to set long-term goals because you really don't know what's going on right now," Nash said. "We just want to play as well as we can for the fans, the city, for the organization and for ourselves, as well.""
Nash tried to 'create a spark'
January 7
Columbus Dispatch
 
"It would not be unusual to see Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash and San Jose defenseman Dan Boyle chatting in the hallway after a game. The two have been friends for years. But a nose-to-nose confrontation early in the third period on Thursday was out of the ordinary for both players. "(Boyle) took a swing at me in the corner," Nash said. "Not a big deal, just a hockey play. But I asked him, 'What was that for?' "He said I high-sticked him, but I don't think I did. It just started like that, with a couple words back and forth, and I asked him if he wanted to fight. I asked him three or four times." The Blue Jackets were down 2-1 early in the third period when the yapping started. Nash skated"
Nash: No-trade clause with Jackets not an absolute
January 5
NHL.com
 
"In admitting to the Columbus Dispatch that the 2011-12 season is the most difficult of his career, Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash also answered a hypothetical question about whether he'd be willing to waive his no-trade clause, which expires at the end of the 2014-15 season. Nash told Aaron Portzline of the Dispatch that he would be willing to agree to a trade if it meant the Blue Jackets would be getting pieces back to help them to build a new foundation for future success. "The city of Columbus deserves a winner and deserves a good product on the ice," Nash said. "If it comes to that -- like you said, all speculation -- but if they don't want me here, they want to move me? I'm not"
Blue Jackets season is toughest of career, Nash says
January 5
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash sighed, stooped his shoulders and gave a slight shake of his head. He paused, but he wasn't measuring what he was about to say, simply digesting it. "This has definitely been the toughest season of my career," Nash said. Think about that. Nash has been through seven losing seasons, enjoyed one brief taste of the Stanley Cup playoffs three seasons ago and settled for personal and international success while waiting for Columbus to get up to speed. It won't happen this season. The Blue Jackets, heading into a game tonight at the San Jose Sharks, are last in the NHL and already 20 points out of the playoffs with a 10-23-5 record."
Nash, Carter are split up in search of offense
December 22
Columbus Dispatch
 
"It took eight seasons for the Blue Jackets to finally acquire an All-Star center, Jeff Carter, to play alongside Rick Nash. It took less than three months for the foundering Blue Jackets to break up their marquee pairing. Nash and Carter skated on separate lines for the first time in a loss on Sunday at St. Louis and likely will do so again tonight against the Nashville Predators. After Carter was acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers in June, Nash envisioned a potent partnership, such as those formed by Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg in Detroit and Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau in San Jose. But Nash said he wasn't surprised when Mark Letestu joined Carter and Vinny"
Blue Jackets 4, Flames 3 (SO): Late goals by Nikitin, Nash spark rally
December 2
Columbus Dispatch
 
"It had all the makings of another lost night for the Blue Jackets. After an early surge against the Calgary Flames, the Jackets seemed to lose their grip and fade fast, giving up three straight goals. Then out of nowhere, the Blue Jackets stole a victory from a team that is enduring almost as bad a season as they are. The Jackets scored two goals in the final 4:05 of regulation last night, including Rick Nash's deflection of a Nikita Nikitin shot with 57.2 seconds remaining and goaltender Curtis Sanford pulled for an extra skater to force a tie. Nash then delivered a 4-3 shootout win when he scored in the third round of a shootout, splitting the pads of Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff."
Rick Nash: Feeling the burden
November 8
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Rick Nash made his NHL debut in 2002-03, about the time the honeymoon between the Blue Jackets and their fans began to fade. The Blue Jackets captain has played for seven coaches, seen three of them fired in midseason, and enjoyed one winning season. Yet when asked yesterday how he's enduring the club's latest follies — a 2-11-1 start and a 5-23-8 nose dive dating to last season — Nash did not pause to measure his words. "It's definitely been my toughest challenge as a captain, and really the toughest challenge of my career," Nash said. "Things just aren't going right."
Pairing on line with Nash will work, Carter says
June 28
Columbus Dispatch
 
"The idea of Rick Nash playing on a line with an All-Star center sounds great. It's what Blue Jackets fans have waited eight seasons to watch, right? Jeff Carter, however, doesn't arrive from Philadelphia with a play-maker's reputation. He is a goal scorer, a forward who wants to finish rather than create. The Jackets need all the offensive help they can muster, yet there's no guarantee the talents of Carter and Nash will mesh on the same line. "We will have to make sacrifices, but I think it will work out well," Carter said. "If we can find someone who's more of a (passer), it can work out real well." Carter has ranked among the NHL's top four in shots the past three seasons. The Flyers"
Deal comes as welcome news to Nash
June 24
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Rick Nash was driving in Canada yesterday with Blue Jackets teammate Jared Boll riding shotgun when long-awaited news arrived by cell phone: General manager Scott Howson was calling to inform Nash that the team had acquired an All-Star center to play alongside him. The left winger with the great hands managed to keep the steering wheel steady as he processed a deal that brought Jeff Carter from the Philadelphia Flyers to the Blue Jackets for right winger Jake Voracek and the Blue Jackets first- and third-round picks in this weekend's NHL draft. "My phone is blowing up right now," Nash said. "I heard some rumors a week ago, then I heard 'no chance' a couple days later. I'm really excited"
Nash thrilled to be Team Canada's captain
April 26
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Rick Nash's resume of international play already was impressive. This World Championship, which begins Friday in Slovakia, is the seventh major international tournament in which he has represented Team Canada. Now he is adding a prestigious letter next to his name. Nash, 26, was named captain of Team Canada late Sunday before a 3-2 warm-up win over France. "It's not only an honor to play for Team Canada, but to be Team Canada captain is unreal," Nash said yesterday. "I don't think I can explain it in words." Team Canada's coaching and management staffs, along with veteran players, were part of the process to name Nash, who has been the Blue Jackets' captain since late in the 2007-08"
Hitch, Nash together again
April 11
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Ken Hitchcock is back behind the bench coaching. Once again, Rick Nash will be among his key players. A source close to Hitchcock told The Dispatch that he is expected to coach Team Canada at the World Championship in Slovakia, beginning April 29. An official announcement is pending. The story was first reported by the (Minneapolis) Star Tribune. Hitchcock, who coached the Blue Jackets from 2006-2010, will be reunited with Nash, who has represented his country in numerous international competitions. Both were part of Canada's gold-medal winning team in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Hitchcock was an assistant on that squad just days after being fired as Blue Jackets coach on Feb. 2. Hitchcock's"
Rick Nash is done for season
April 8
Columbus Dispatch
 
"The only way Rick Nash will put on a Blue Jackets jersey this weekend is to take it off and hand it to a lucky fan. The Jackets captain will miss the final two games of the season because of a back injury. "He thought it was getting better, but in the last few days it hasn't changed at all and he's not moving very well at all," coach Scott Arniel said. "He's got to get up and running again with conditioning and that stuff. He doesn't feel he can even do that." Nash hasn't played since a shootout win March 29 against the Florida Panthers. The injury is believed to be a strain that's also triggering spasms. General manager Scott Howson confirmed that Nash's back has been "locking up on him.""
Nash's famine turns to feast in 5-4 victory over Wild
March 20
Columbus Dispatch
 
"The person least concerned about Rick Nash's scoring slumps, it always seems, is Nash himself. Nash snapped his streak of 11 games without a goal - tied for the longest drought of his career - in a big way yesterday. With two goals and two assists in a 5-4 overtime win over the Minnesota Wild, he had his fourth career four-point game, matching a career high. "Lately I've had a lot of chances and it hasn't been going in," Nash said. "I didn't do anything different today." Nash hadn't scored since Feb. 22 despite putting 43 shots on goal. But that ended at 9:02 of the first period when Derek Dorsett spotted Nash open in the slot for a wrist shot that beat Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom. It"
Vermette excels with Nash
February 24
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Blue Jackets center Antoine Vermette registered career-best numbers playing alongside Rick Nash a season ago. In the past two games, Vermette has reprised his role and rewarded his coach and the team in the process. Replacing an injured Derick Brassard, Vermette has two goals and two assists in wins over Chicago and Nashville. "He has taken on a lot of responsibility," coach Scott Arniel said. "We've asked him to step up and keep that line rolling because those guys have been good for us. He has done a great job moving that puck to those two guys," linemates Nash and Jake Voracek. Vermette was strong against former Ottawa teammate Mike Fisher in a 4-0 win Tuesday over Nashville. They went"
Nash is doing more for Jackets despite playing less
February 24
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Rick Nash gathered the puck with a head of steam early in the third period Tuesday night in Nationwide Arena. Like a jumbo jet circling the airport on its final approach, the Blue Jackets captain made a sweeping turn in the neutral zone, squared his shoulders and barreled down the right wing in a scoreless game. Nashville defenseman Kevin Klein thought he could angle the 6-foot-4 power forward to the wall, but Nash got a step on him. With Predators players collapsing to the net, Nash cut left and put the puck into the crease, where it caromed off the skate blade of Shea Weber. With the building at full throat, Nash had scored the first of his two third-period goals on the way to a pivotal"
Nash takes top line to new heights
February 14
Columbus Dispatch
 columnist Michael Arace
"It is hard to say when, where or how the Blue Jackets will acquire their defensive anchor. The answer might even be in Springfield right now. Who knows? This column is about the center, the other position of need since the birth of the franchise. More, it is about the first line - Rick Nash, Derick Brassard and Jake Voracek, left to right. If you've watched the Jackets lately, you've noticed the first line every time it has rumbled onto the ice. There they are again. Yesterday afternoon in Dallas, Voracek sprang Nash for the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over the Stars. Look out? The Jackets are 5-1 in the past six games, 8-3-2 in their past 13. It remains to be seen whether they can keep"
Five-time All-Star Rick Nash says he still believes in the Jackets' plan
January 30
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash will take part in his fifth consecutive NHL All-Star Game today in Raleigh, N.C., and - as usual - he'll be the club's lone representative. Nash is tied for ninth in the NHL with 23 goals, but the Blue Jackets remain mired in their decade-long struggles. They're 13th in the Western Conference and 23rd overall in the league at the break. How does this sit with the 26-year-old Nash? He sat down with The Dispatch for a one-on-one interview before leaving for North Carolina:"
Those who would trade Nash don't know his value
January 12
Columbus Dispatch
 columnist Michael Arace
"In 10 seasons, the Blue Jackets have had three All-Stars: Espen Knutsen in 2002, Ray Whitney in 2003 and Rick Nash ever since. Think about that for a second. Since the founding of Facebook, there has been none other than Nash. It says something about the Jackets. It also says something about Nash. Last night, the Jackets returned from a fruitless road swing and lost 4-3 to the Phoenix Coyotes in Nationwide Arena. A crowd of 11,109 watched the Jackets' fifth consecutive loss, and their 17th in 23 games. With that, the cannoneers leveled their record (20-20-3). Hark. Is that the sound of another season being blown? It is clear that general manager Scott Howson must do something to shake up"
Blue Jackets' Nash an All-Star for fifth time
January 11
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash was named to play in the NHL All-Star Game this month in Raleigh, N.C., the NHL announced this morning. The selection is his fourth consecutive and fifth of his career. "It's fun to go represent the city, the organization, ownership and mainly the players," Nash said this morning. "They're the ones who got me here." The game is set for Jan. 30 in RBC Center, home of the Carolina Hurricanes. In his four previous All-Star games, Nash has totaled six goals, four assists and 10 points. The NHL has changed the format for this year's game. Unlike in previous seasons, when teams would be separated by conference (Western vs. Eastern) or nationality (North American"
Nash no-calls rile Arniel
January 10
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Blue Jackets coach Scott Arniel was irate after Saturday's 6-4 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in the Staples Center, but the vitriol wasn't directed at his players this time. Saying he'd measured his words and bit his tongue long enough, Arniel flamed NHL officials for swallowing their whistles when it comes to penalties committed against Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash. "I'm getting so frustrated," Arniel said. "I know I'm a young guy and a young coach in this league, but to watch Rick Nash, what he has to take night in and night out I watch other star players and the treatment they get, the calls they get. "He gets tackled going to the net. He gets a stick across the face. No call. I don't"
Nash razzed for passing on Leafs
December 30
Toronto Sun
 
"When he's old and grey, Rick Nash might still be getting razzed by his hometown buddies for not putting himself in a position to become a Toronto Maple Leaf. The Brampton native almost can hear the questions now. Why didn't you allow your contract to run out with the Blue Jackets so you could have signed with the beloved Leafs? Why, instead, did you ink an eight-year, $62.4-million US extension in the summer of 2009, thereby squashing any chance of one day wearing blue and white? "Oh ya, I don't think I'll ever hear the end of it," Nash laughed during a phone interview from Columbus on Wednesday. "My friends already have been bugging me about it. "That's going to happen. When you grow up"
Nash takes over
December 12
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash set one franchise record, moved to the brink of setting another, and padded yet another club mark he's going to own for a long, long time. He owned the Nationwide Arena stage last night. In a 3-1 win over the New York Rangers, Nash had a hand in all three goals - scoring two and adding an assist on the night he became the franchise's all-time leader with 544 games played, passing David Vyborny. Nash scored twice in the final 5:09 of the game as the Blue Jackets pulled away, a much-needed salve following a 1-5-1 slump and a well-timed boost as the club leaves today on a three-game, four-day trip through western Canada. "To be the leader in games played means a"
Rick Nash scores two goals and notches assist in 3-1 Blue Jackets victory over visiting Rangers
December 12
New York Daily News
 
"Rick Nash holds the records for just about every meaningful statistical category in the 10-year history of the Blue Jackets, a fact the Rangers were well-aware of before the 26-year-old played his 544th game for the team Saturday night, passing David Vyborny for first place on Columbus' all-time list. Despite an impressive defensive performance in which the Rangers held Nash to four shots, he still burned them for a fluke goal to snap a tie in the third period, then tacked on another with 1:12 left to send the Blueshirts to a 3-1 defeat, just their fifth loss in 16 road games. "We stuffed him the whole night until he scores a goal behind the goal line," John Tortorella said. "I thought"
Nash's 544th game will set team mark
December 11
Columbus Dispatch
 
"On his way out of Columbus in 2006, former Blue Jackets left winger Geoff Sanderson predicted that Rick Nash's career trajectory would quickly erase Sanderson's name from the franchise record book. Two years later, when David Vyborny's end with the Jackets was drawing near, he made the same prediction. Nash claims his latest category tonight when the Blue Jackets play the New York Rangers in Nationwide Arena. He'll play his 544th game for the organization, surpassing Vyborny's 543 (2000 to 2008). "It makes you realize how fast it goes," Nash said. "I still remember playing my first NHL game, and here we are 543 games later. It's really flown by, but with lots of memories." Among the"
Nash collects goals, assists, but no calls
December 9
Columbus Dispatch
 columnist Michael Arace
"Our parents and coaches preach that whining about the refs is a fool's errand. Off I go. Will somebody please give Rick Nash a call? There has long been a perception, not illogical, that NHL officiating is substandard. Hockey is fleet and violent at the highest level. It is difficult to call in the best of conditions and there is a dearth of quality referees, especially since the league went to the two-ref system in 1998-99. The situation is such that the retirements of Don Koharski in 2009 and Kerry Fraser and Dan Marouelli at the end of last season will be felt for another generation. There is that. And there is this: NHL referees are supposed to be objective and they are, in the way"
Nash implores fans to keep on believing
December 5
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Captain Rick Nash was asked last night what he would say to fans who have watched the Blue Jackets lose five straight games, the past two by a combined score of 12-2. Running his hand through his hair, Nash gave the question serious thought. "I don't know, he said. "I guess, 'Believe in us because we believe in ourselves.' We are only a point out of the playoffs or whatever it is right now, and it's only December. "Stick with us and believe in us." That's probably going to be a difficult slogan to build a campaign on - almost as tough as the "It Starts Now" T-shirts the club trotted out during its last winter swoon. But since accepting the captaincy in March 2008, Nash always has searched"
Postgame vibes all positive for Jackets, Nash
November 22
Columbus Dispatch
 
"With a smile on his face, Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash leaned back in his locker and took note of the odd scene around him. The visitors dressing room in HP Pavilion has always been a quiet spot for the Blue Jackets to lament their losses to the San Jose Sharks - some of them heart-breakers, others blowouts. But late Saturday, after Nash scored his fifth career hat trick to spur a 3-0 win, the room had volume and vibrancy. "We're used to rushing out of here," Nash said, "everything being silent, everyone being really upset. "This is a different feeling. It's a great feeling." Nash, who almost didn't play Saturday because of a sore groin, was a monster on the three-game trip, scoring six"
Nash, Garon help finish road sweep
November 21
Columbus Dispatch
 
"To put an exclamation point on the best West Coast road trip in franchise history, the Blue Jackets last night turned to a fresh goaltender and leaned hard on their high-flying captain. Rick Nash had his fifth career hat trick to continue his recent goal rampage, and goaltender Mathieu Garon - playing for the first time in two weeks - made 35 saves to fuel a 3-0 win over the San Jose Sharks. The franchise record book will need a new edition after this one. It marked the first time ever that the Jackets won game in regulation in San Jose, and the first win period in HP Pavilion since Jan. 8, 2004. It also capped a seismic road swing in which the Blue Jackets blew through the NHL's"
Nash goals propel Jackets to victory
November 18
Columbus Dispatch
 
"One of the trademark signs of true stars is their impeccable timing. After the Blue Jackets' key grips and stage hands kept them alive in a fierce struggle with one of the Western Conference's better clubs, it was captain Rick Nash who came up large late in the game. Nash's goal with 3:12 remaining sent the Blue Jackets to a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings before 18,118 in the Staples Center last night. His empty-net goal - scored from his own end with 37.2 remaining - provided the final score. The Kings were the NHL's last unbeaten team at home, having won their first eight games. They hadn't given up more than three goals in a home game until last night, either. Andrew Murray,"
Nash brings weight to line
October 25
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Nikita Filatov's best chance of reuniting with former Blue Jackets linemates Derick Brassard and Jake Voracek might be gaining 20 pounds. Barring a shipment of flaxseed oil from Barry Bonds, that's probably not going to happen overnight. But adding weight to the left side of a line with Brassard and Voracek seems to boost its production. The duo played its best game of the season in the Jackets' 3-2 win over Chicago on Saturday as Rick Nash replaced Filatov. Brassard scored his first goal - a crucial one in the final seconds of the second period to trim the Jackets' deficit to 2-1 - and Voracek assisted on it. The linemates generated 14 shots. The Nash-Brassard-Voracek line is a new one,"
Nash determined to win here, but he's not a kid anymore
October 16
Columbus Dispatch
 columnist Michael Arace
"ast night, upon the occasion of the Blue Jackets' 10th home opener, there was a pregame ceremony during which a collage of "classic" moments was presented on the Jumbotron. Among the flashbacks was a scene from the 2002 draft, when Rick Nash was taken with the No. 1 overall pick. Another was of Nash scoring a goal in his first game, and yet another was of Nash accepting the Rocket Richard Trophy in 2004. Nash was shown commenting on these moments and, in the backdrop, there were old photos of him from six and seven years ago. And the sellout crowd in Nationwide Arena went "ooh" because everyone was thinking the same thing. Look at that baby face. He was so young then. Look. In that moment,"
Nash ready for a break
April 9
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash hopes to play in the season finale tonight against Detroit despite a sore and stiff neck. It will be his last competitive game until fall. Nash has informed Team Canada that, after an 82-game season and a gold-medal run in the Olympics, he will not take part in the World Championship next month in Germany. One of the NHL's pre-eminent power forwards needs a break. "I'm still pretty banged up," Nash said. "I've got some bumps and bruises, like a lot of other guys, and I feel like I need to let my body heal up a bit. "It's only fair to Columbus that I get healthy and get back to 100 percent this summer." Nash has represented Canada three times in the World"
Rick Nash late scratch with stifness in back and neck
April 6
Columbus Dispatch
 (scroll down)
"Mike Blunden, Greg Moore and Tomas Kana already gave the Blue Jackets an American Hockey League fourth line. But yesterday morning, winger Chad Kolarik was recalled from Syracuse as a precaution. The injured player turned out to be Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash, who took the morning skate and pregame warm-ups, but was scratched because of stiffness in his back and neck. General manager Scott Howson said Nash was "day today.""
It's a Nash Night
March 31
Columbus Dispatch
 
"The Blue Jackets expected to make the Stanley Cup playoffs again this season, but a horrendous stretch through late November and December led to the firing of a coach and a new set of goals. Last night, after 41 games and more than four months on the loser's side of a .500 record, the Blue Jackets resurfaced with a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning before 15,760 in Nationwide Arena. "It's not the goal we all started out with, that's for sure," Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason said, "but when you consider where we've come from in a relatively short amount of time, it's something everybody in this room should be proud about. "We have a ways to go. But we wanted to build something out"
Nash, Huselius Out Vs. St. Louis
March 13
Columbus Dispatch
 
"The Blue Jackets will be without two-thirds of their No. 1 line on Saturday when they play the St. Louis Blues. Right winger Rick Nash will miss his third straight game with a lower body injury, while left winger Kristian Huselius will sit because of an upper body ailment. Huselius returned Thursday after a two-game absence, but apparently aggravated the injury."
Nash vows Jackets won't quit on season
March 10
Columbus Dispatch
 
"A Blue Jackets season that many consider over has one month remaining. The team's top two leaders said yesterday that the final 15 games cannot pass without a sense of relevance and pride. With fan unrest growing and the Jackets reeling from a 6-0 loss Monday in Los Angeles, Rick Nash and R.J. Umberger said they are taking it upon themselves to promote the importance of the season's final weeks regardless of the standings. "Guys are playing for a lot of different reasons, but I've got to make sure these guys are playing for the pride of the city," said Nash, the team captain. "They can't just worry about personal stats and that. We are trying to build a fan base and maintain a fan base,"
Rick Nash leaves game in first with undisclosed injury
March 9
Columbus Dispatch
 
"At least the Blue Jackets didn't keep their fans up all night this time only to blow another third-period lead. No, the outcome was delivered so quickly, so decisively, writers for Jay Leno could have penciled in Blue Jacket gags in time for his monologue. There was rich material to be mined from this odious performance. The Los Angeles Kings scored four times in the first 16 minutes last night on the way to a 6-0 victory in Staples Center. "That was more than tough, it was embarrassing," forward R.J. Umberger said. "We didn't play smart. If we get beat, we get beat. But we were our own worst enemies out there." Goaltender Steve Mason's recent run of fine play ended as he allowed the first"
From gold to gloom
March 5
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash walked into the locker room yesterday and saw three empty stalls to the right of his locker, the nameplates above each removed. Fredrik Modin, gone. Raffi Torres, gone. Milan Jurcina, gone. "Kind of lonely over there," Nash said. A week ago, he played for a Canadian Olympic hockey team worth its weight in gold. Yesterday, he dealt with the realities of another Blue Jackets' retooling project. The only Torres in the room was a bantamweight cage fighter named Miguel doing a meet and greet with players in advance of his Saturday fight in Nationwide Arena. A day after the Blue Jackets moved three veterans at the NHL trade deadline for draft picks, prospects and a"
Gold medal hasn't hit home for Nash
March 3
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Rick Nash has returned from the Olympics with a new title to put before his name. No longer is he just Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash or All-Star Rick Nash. He is now gold-medal winner Rick Nash. "I don't think it's sunk in quite yet," Nash said before last night's game. "It's truly amazing to win gold in your own country. It's unbelievable. I think the biggest thing was the sense of relief after (Sidney Crosby's winning) goal went in. I've never jumped the boards so quick in my life. Just the relief that we did it in our own country with so much pressure on us was the biggest thing." Nash consistently talked about the pressure that the team was under. Nash finished the Olympics with two"
Gold medal could be silver lining for Nash
March 2
Columbus Dispatch
 columnist Rob Oller
"A painting of Rick Nash hangs in the office of Blue Jackets interim coach Claude Noel, an abstract piece of art in which one would struggle to identify the player within the frame. The picture perfectly captures Nash's career. Seven seasons in Columbus and Jackets fans still are not exactly sure what to make of the team's best player. He is an enigma wrapped in a CBJ sweater. Is Nash a top-15 player in the league? Sometimes. Is the Blue Jackets' captain an effective leader? Maybe. This much is clear: Nash is a nice guy and ever-improving playmaker who might simply need a healthy dose of big-time success to finally bring his work into focus. Winning Olympic gold as a member of Team Canada"
Blue Jackets teammates gather to cheer on Nash
March 1
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Six Blue Jackets players, representing three nations, found one common rooting interest yesterday while watching the Olympic gold-medal game. "Guys kept yelling at the TV set, 'Get Nasher out there again,'" forward Derek Dorsett said. "It was awesome to see him play such a good game." From the Downtown condominium of Jared Boll and Kris Russell to the suburban home of general manager Scott Howson, many were happy to see captain Rick Nash become the first Blue Jackets player to win an Olympic gold medal. Nash was a member of Team Canada, which outlasted the Americans 3-2 on Sidney Crosby's overtime winner in Vancouver. As the Canadians received their medals, even Boll, an American rooting"
Nash gets rave reviews for his play in Olympics
February 26
Columbus Dispatch
 
"At this rate, Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash might not participate in the team's taxing Olympic-break practices made to simulate training camp. His Columbus teammates, however, don't begrudge the fact he's missing all the conditioning drills. They have enjoyed watching Nash and five other Blue Jackets play in the Olympic hockey tournament. Nash has become a vital contributor to Team Canada's drive for a gold medal in Vancouver. He has scored goals in consecutive games heading into a semifinal tonight against Slovakia, which includes Blue Jackets defenseman Milan Jurcina. "Nasher has been really good," forward Derek Dorsett said. "He has been getting lots of chances, playing a physical"
Nash Changes Lines
February 23
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash will have new Team Canada linemates as the Olympic tournament reaches the knockout phase on Tuesday. TSN's Bob McKenzie reports that Nash will play with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry for Tuesday's game against Germany. The move is hardly unexpected as Nash and Sidney Crosby were both minus-3 in Canada's 5-3 loss to the United States. The ratings were a bit misleading in that Nash and Crosby were on the ice for two goals in which Marty Brodeur made dreadful decisions in playing the puck. Nash, however, lost a board battle that led to the Americans' first goal."
Nash, Crosby Remain Together
February 21
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash will remain on a line with Sidney Crosby when Team Canada faces Team USA on Sunday, reports the Canadian Press. Nash will move to right wing, however, as Mike Richards replaces Jarome Iginla on the line. Richards got a few shifts there late in Thursday's game against the Swiss. The Canada-USA game highlights an unbelievable day of Olympic hockey. The card features rematches of the last three gold-medal games: Czech Republic-Russia (1998), Canada-USA (2002), Sweden-Finland (2006). There's plenty of intrigue surrounding the North American border war that appropriately is being contested near the international border in Vancouver. It pits NHL teammates such as"
Rick Nash now joins a Canadian team whose fans accept nothing short of winning it all
February 14
Columbus Dispatch
 
"Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash will play in Nationwide Arena today for two points in the NHL standings. After the game, he expects to board a chartered jet bound for Vancouver, where he will play for the pride of his nation. Representing the home team is about to take on a different meaning for Nash, 25, a member of the Canadian Olympic hockey team. He'll leave behind a fan base that celebrated a seventh-place finish in the Western Conference last season for one that will mourn any result short of a gold medal. Playing in such an environment of high expectations, one that cannot be simulated in Columbus, could have a positive impact on Nash and the Blue Jackets should he succeed. "It will"
Rick Nash records 400th point
January 19
Columbus Dispatch
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"Rick Nash recorded his 400th point on his second-period goal. The Jackets regained the lead on a power-play goal by Rick Nash. He scored on a hard-angle wrist shot that found a space inside the near post and under the crossbar. Nice pass, R.J. Umberger. Slow slide, Chris Mason. Wicked shot, Nash. After an 11-game drought, Nash has three goals in the past two games."