The Fan Hub

The subplot surrounding Sunday night’s game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers was centered on the showcasing of Rick Nash, who is tied closely to the Rangers (plus about 6 other teams) in all of the trade talks surrounding him. And when he scored a game-tying goal with less than two minutes to play in regulation, fans made their thoughts about the potential of acquiring him perfectly clear: by chanting “We don’t want you!”

Now on some levels, this was obvious a spiteful, visceral reaction by a frustrated crowd that had expected the first-place Rangers to dispatch the worst team in the league with ease. But it was also a display by the fans of just how they feel about the current team. With a largely home-grown core after several fledgling years, they don’t want to see their first place team give up any of those young players for a high-priced veteran.

In many ways, Nash is exactly what the Rangers need to round out what is a pedestrian offense, giving Brad Richards a huge talent on the wing to work with. But if the reports are correct, he would also cost them Brandon Dubinsky, either Ryan McDonagh or Michael Del Zotto, top prospect Chris Kreider, and an additional 1st round pick. Add his $7.8 million cap hit (the fifth highest in the league) on top of that, and it becomes a huge gamble for the future of the team.

The Rangers fans last night were largely responding to the price that Nash would cost, not Nash himself.