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Winnipeg Jets Free Agency: Uh, How About Rick Nash?

By Kyle McCarthy

WINNIPEG, CANADA - MARCH 31: Rick Nash #61 of the New York Rangers plays the puck as Tyler Myers #57 of the Winnipeg Jets defends during third period action on March 31, 2015 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Lance Thomson/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, CANADA - MARCH 31: Rick Nash #61 of the New York Rangers plays the puck as Tyler Myers #57 of the Winnipeg Jets defends during third period action on March 31, 2015 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Lance Thomson/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Winnipeg Jets haven’t exactly been making splashes in Free Agency. They cleared cap space to resign…some guy, can’t really remember who, but ended up whiffing. That cap space still exists, right?

The Winnipeg Jets don’t need to sign a big name free agent. Luckily for them, there really aren’t any. Well, there is one with a big name who doesn’t really play like one: Rick Nash.

Look, look, I know. Before you start in on me with that, I know I included him in my Free Agent Landmines. There have been many bad words written about Rick Nash, and I’m responsible for about 60-75% of them.

But for all his faults, you need to understand Rick Nash. And I do. He scored 41 goals in his sophomore season, which led the league. He’s scored 40 on two other occasions, but spread apart by at least five years on each.

Nash has been bedeviled with injuries, especially during his time with New York. He also didn’t perform well in the playoffs. As you probably have heard about New York, they aren’t really keen on that. Rick Nash tried to grasp a star, overreached, and fell.

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Expectations are all part of the game when you’re Rick Nash. He was taken number one overall by Columbus and then traded to the biggest media market on the planet. Oh yeah, and he was supposed to be the star skater on that team that had Stanley Cup aspirations (And they came oh-so close).

But it never happened. And he was a pariah in New York. They shipped him to Boston, and Rangers fans forgot about him. But I didn’t. Look, Rick Nash is 34 and hasn’t broken the 40 point barrier in three seasons.

But I know this man. His forechecking is good. Backchecking too. He kills penalties and won’t embarrass you on the powerplay. He’s a big dude who knows how to protect the puck. Oh, and he’s capable of doing this.

But…why?

If only there was a way to protect your legacy, and yourself. And try to win a Stanley Cup, something he’s never done. There is. Look, Rick Nash was left behind when the Free Agency flurry hit on day one.

I have not read a single Rick Nash rumor. Maybe he’s biding his time. Maybe he wants to go back to Columbus. But maybe he just really wants to win.

That’s where the Winnipeg Jets come in. This team is ready to win now, and in the foreseeable future. They have a strong core and came within a few games of the Stanley Cup Final just last year.

There just needs to be an evaluation. Strip the name Rick Nash from this man. You have a solid possession player who can score, and should be relegated to bottom six minutes. Given his pedigree, this might sound an insult.

Given his age, it’s a preventative measure. If Rick Nash doesn’t go for the money, he can find solace. He might even find his name etched into the Cup. If you can get Rick Nash on your third or fourth line, you do it.

Don’t pay Rick Nash the money you think his name deserves. Think of him as just another veteran guy who can help your team out. If Nash thinks the same way, he can really help a team. He can’t be a star, he just can’t.

But he can be a really great contributor in limited minutes, and won’t kill you if you have to push him forward. If he wants to sign a contract commensurate with that role, he’s worth a look. This is a conversation worth having.

Next: Five Reasons Jets Could Collapse In 2018-2019

We’ll just have to wonder if the two sides think it’s an idea worth doing.

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