Multiple sources, including Elliotte Friedman, are indicating that the Boston Bruins are the leading candidates to acquire New York Rangers winger Rick Nash. Pierre LeBrun writes that Boston made an offer earlier today that the Rangers are considering.
With the trade deadline less than two days away, talks are heating up and the Bruins are doing what it can to bolster their forward line for a playoff run. Nash would be a solid addition to a team that already has a lot of pieces in place to make a deep playoff run. With Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Bruins have now fallen into third place in the Atlantic Division, one point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs and three points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning. With so many assets, it might make sense to upgrade.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie adds that Boston has the assets to make a deal happen. They have their own first-round picks and have a number of solid prospects that the Rangers might find interesting, including Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Ryan Lindgren and Trent Frederic among others.
The only problem will be whether Boston can absorb Nash’s salary. According to CapFriendly, the Bruins have $491,370 available in cap space, which is the equivalent of a $2.176,067 cap hit. Nash’s $7.8MM cap hit translates to $1,761,2890, which falls way short. So more salary would need to be unloaded, which seems unlikely, the Rangers would have to retain some of Nash’s salary or a third team would be needed for the trade to continue.
How much cap space does Vegas still have?
Tons. Equivalent 34 million in deadline cap space. Send picks and prospects this way for space.
Unfortunately only one retained spot left for this year though now.
I’m a Bruins fan & I don’t like this at all. Rick Nash has 28 points this season & is a pending free agent. He isn’t a player with a great playoff history either. He’s had 1 good post-season. Why give up multiple assets, for an under-achieving, high priced rental?
How do you know that this won’t be the year he puts it all together? Nash is a really good player he just doesn’t always get the lucky bounce other guys get.
28 points is a really good player? Man there should be a lot more guys making 7mil a year then. At this point he’s a 3rd line player.
Good players elevate their game when the rest of the team isn’t as strong not slump into the dumpster.
Preds fan here. Very glad Nashville isn’t in contention to get him anymore. Thoroughly mediocre. He would be a 4th liner here. Not nearly worth the obscene asking price.
Nash hasn’t been a really good player since 2015. If Don Sweeney pays the Rangers asking price, he is stupid. The Bruins have younger players who are having better years than Nash and they could be adding Ryan Donato in mid-March. There is no reason to overpay for a player way past his prime
Agreed, let’s talk straight here,,,,he’s way past his prime,,,it’s a young mans game and giving up ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT is insane.,,,I would rather bring up a quick rookie with an ounce of potential and give him a chance
As a Ranger fan I really like Nash for his work ethic, attitude, and the all around two way game he ha developed. Having said that, he is paid like a star and the return the Rangers want is going to be more than he’s worth. Still, maybe this is the year he puts it all together in the post season.
As a Rangers fan, his work ethic has done crap on the ice. Maybe he puts it all together in the post season? Please…
Then you’re not a Ranger fan
1,761,2890 huh?
I always love the Nash is overrated talk
So is Nash overrated or not?
I would much ratber see them go after vanek. cheaper rental amd better production this year
They don’t mention the bruins have games in hand. They shouldn’t make a deal just to make one. I know Donato is ready . I would like to hold onto Federic too. They never had this many good prospects as once.