Rick Nash put forth a solid performance in Columbus’ 3-2 OT loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, but it did little to endear him to the Blueshirt faithful.
The 27-year-old power forward -- who, as you might’ve heard, has recently been the subject of trade rumors -- scored his 19th goal of the season with under two minutes left to send the game into overtime. That’s when fans let Nash know what they thought of him (potentially) coming to New York.
As Nash was announced as the scorer, the New York crowd erupted in boos, with a segment getting a chant of “We don’t want you” going. Of course, if Rangers brass acted only on the whims of the ticket-buying public, Sean Avery still would be in New York, rather than the AHL. For his part, Nash took it all in stride, partially echoing the “fans don’t boo nobodies” mantra of a long-ago New York import, Reggie Jackson.
“That’s the reception you’re going to get in any building if you score in the last minute, to tie it up on the road,” Nash said. “It was an exciting game and a tough one, and we were lucky to get one point.”
Despite the reception (and Nash’s PC response), it seems New York is one of the few teams in position to make a run at the Blue Jackets captain. According to Hockey Night in Canada’s Eric Francis, Columbus GM Scott Howson is looking for four players in exchange for Nash -- an “impact player that can help them right now,” two top prospects and a first-round draft pick.
It’s believed the Rangers could compile a package involving Brandon Dubinsky, two of their four former first-round picks currently playing at the AHL/Junior/NCAA level (JT Miller, Dylan McIlrath, Chris Kreider, Tim Erixon) and their first pick in 2012.
Well, something along those lines anyway.