It’s already been widely reported that the New York Rangers could look to sell off veteran assets between now and the trade deadline, and it looks like the first big piece could be moved in the near future.
According to TSN hockey insider Bob McKenzie, the Rangers asked pending unrestricted free agent Rick Nash to submit his no-trade list. On Sunday, Nash reportedly handed in his list of 18 teams that he wouldn’t be willing to go to.
The 33-year-old clearly isn’t the same player he once was, but he’s still a relatively productive winger with a big body. He got off to a rocky start, as he had just one goal in his first 11 games, but he’s now up to 15 goals and 25 points in 52 contests.
Nash will certainly fetch a decent return. The only issue is that there appears to be a number of scoring wingers available on the market right now. For teams looking for rentals, there’s Nash and Sabres forward Evander Kane. If clubs are looking for more than a rental, Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty and Senators forward Mike Hoffman have also been brought up as potential trade candidates.
As McKenzie pointed out on Twitter, Nash could have given the Rangers a list of 12 teams that he knows won’t have interest in his services. But, for a second, let’s assume that he’s willing to go to a Stanley Cup contender. Where could he be heading? If you were Nash, where would you be willing to go?
Alright, so we need 12 potential landing spots (keep in mind, Nash could be traded to any club, he’d just have to waive his limited no-trade clause).
The Devils could be looking for more goals, the Penguins, Lightning and Bruins might also be potential landing spots for the veteran. How about a return to Columbus? Or a possible homecoming in Toronto? Out West, the Predators sound like they’re interesting in adding another scoring winger, while the Blues, Golden Knights and Kings could all use a player like Nash. He could also consider heading to a bubble team like the Wild or the Ducks.
He could be an intriguing fit on any one of those clubs.
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Joey Alfieri is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @joeyalfieri.