Rangers to send package of Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Tim Erixon and first-round pick
Rick Nash is a Ranger, and for the second straight summer, the Blueshirts have a made a statement offseason acquisition.
On Monday afternoon, New York acquired the Columbus Blue Jackets' 28-year-old disgruntled captain, who has averaged 32 goals during his nine NHL seasons, in exchange for a package of forwards Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov, defenseman Tim Erixon and a first-round draft pick. New York also reportedly is receiving a conditional third-round pick and a minor-leaguer as part of the deal.
TSN's Darren Dreger first reported the trade, which represents a steal for general manager Glen Sather and the Rangers, who all along have insisted they would not trade their brightest young stars and now have managed to acquire Nash from Columbus GM Scott Howson for his franchise player without doing so.
Coach John Tortorella called upon the Blueshirts front office to add more goal-scoring this spring after his Rangers lost in six games in the Eastern Conference finals to the New Jersey Devils. Then after the season, the team's leading goal scorer, Marian Gaborik, revealed he required shoulder surgery and would be out until at least November, heightening an already existing need for more offense.
Last July, the Rangers signed the top free agent on the market, center Brad Richards, to a nine-year, $60 million contract. On Monday, the contract they inherited from Columbus included the final six seasons of an eight-year, $62.4 million deal Nash signed with the Jackets prior to the 2010-11 season.
The inclusion of fan-favorite Brandon Dubinsky was expected, since the 26-year-old forward posted just 10 goals and 34 points in 77 games last season after signing a four-year, $16 million deal last offseason. The Rangers player representative's departure likely means assistant player rep and backup goalie Marty Biron will assume the lead role for the club.
Erixon is a poised, 21-year-old left-handed defenseman who was overmatched physically in his 18 games with the Rangers last season but has an extremely high ceiling. He was the Blueshirts' top defensive prospect not playing regularly in the NHL, but the selection of 18-year-old left-handed defenseman Brady Skjei 28th overall in this June's draft likely made parting with Erixon easier.
The wild card here was Anisimov, a 24-year-old Russian popular in the Rangers locker room that the Blueshirts drafted in the second round of the 2006 draft and who had 10 points in 20 playoff games this postseason, including three multi-point games. Anisimov played on the ?GAS' line with Gaborik and Derek Stepan that during the early winter paced the Rangers offensively as they drove toward securing first place in the Eastern Conference and held it from late December until the playoffs.
Even with Anisimov as a valuable faceoff man in the middle and versatile forward who can play both center and wing, the young Russian went through long periods of offensive inefficiency, with 36 points in 79 games.
Interestingly, Anisimov and Dubinsky teamed with captain Ryan Callahan to form the Rangers' top line two seasons ago, and now two of those three have been dealt to Columbus.
New York made a push also at the February trade deadline for Nash, but the Rangers' reluctance to include players such as Stepan, Ryan McDonagh, Michael Del Zotto and Chris Kreider ? who had not yet made his NHL debut ? was one major factor that kept the sides from seeing eye-to-eye.
Furthermore, Nash has a no movement clause in his contract and only had a select list of teams for whom he was willing to play. The Columbus Dispatch eventually reported Nash's final list to include the Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks.
Nash's agent, Joe Resnick, said in February that if no deal were reached by the trade deadline, his client's approved list of teams would not change.
Rick Nash is a Ranger, and for the second straight summer, the Blueshirts have a made a statement offseason acquisition.
On Monday afternoon, New York acquired the Columbus Blue Jackets' 28-year-old disgruntled captain, who has averaged 32 goals during his nine NHL seasons, in exchange for a package of forwards Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov, defenseman Tim Erixon and a first-round draft pick. New York also reportedly is receiving a conditional third-round pick and a minor-leaguer as part of the deal.
TSN's Darren Dreger first reported the trade, which represents a steal for general manager Glen Sather and the Rangers, who all along have insisted they would not trade their brightest young stars and now have managed to acquire Nash from Columbus GM Scott Howson for his franchise player without doing so.
Coach John Tortorella called upon the Blueshirts front office to add more goal-scoring this spring after his Rangers lost in six games in the Eastern Conference finals to the New Jersey Devils. Then after the season, the team's leading goal scorer, Marian Gaborik, revealed he required shoulder surgery and would be out until at least November, heightening an already existing need for more offense.
Last July, the Rangers signed the top free agent on the market, center Brad Richards, to a nine-year, $60 million contract. On Monday, the contract they inherited from Columbus included the final six seasons of an eight-year, $62.4 million deal Nash signed with the Jackets prior to the 2010-11 season.
The inclusion of fan-favorite Brandon Dubinsky was expected, since the 26-year-old forward posted just 10 goals and 34 points in 77 games last season after signing a four-year, $16 million deal last offseason. The Rangers player representative's departure likely means assistant player rep and backup goalie Marty Biron will assume the lead role for the club.
Erixon is a poised, 21-year-old left-handed defenseman who was overmatched physically in his 18 games with the Rangers last season but has an extremely high ceiling. He was the Blueshirts' top defensive prospect not playing regularly in the NHL, but the selection of 18-year-old left-handed defenseman Brady Skjei 28th overall in this June's draft likely made parting with Erixon easier.
The wild card here was Anisimov, a 24-year-old Russian popular in the Rangers locker room that the Blueshirts drafted in the second round of the 2006 draft and who had 10 points in 20 playoff games this postseason, including three multi-point games. Anisimov played on the ?GAS' line with Gaborik and Derek Stepan that during the early winter paced the Rangers offensively as they drove toward securing first place in the Eastern Conference and held it from late December until the playoffs.
Even with Anisimov as a valuable faceoff man in the middle and versatile forward who can play both center and wing, the young Russian went through long periods of offensive inefficiency, with 36 points in 79 games.
Interestingly, Anisimov and Dubinsky teamed with captain Ryan Callahan to form the Rangers' top line two seasons ago, and now two of those three have been dealt to Columbus.
New York made a push also at the February trade deadline for Nash, but the Rangers' reluctance to include players such as Stepan, Ryan McDonagh, Michael Del Zotto and Chris Kreider ? who had not yet made his NHL debut ? was one major factor that kept the sides from seeing eye-to-eye.
Furthermore, Nash has a no movement clause in his contract and only had a select list of teams for whom he was willing to play. The Columbus Dispatch eventually reported Nash's final list to include the Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks.
Nash's agent, Joe Resnick, said in February that if no deal were reached by the trade deadline, his client's approved list of teams would not change.
