The New York Rangers have agreed to trade winger Rick Nash to the Boston Bruins in exchange for centre Ryan Spooner, winger Matt Beleskey, prospect defenceman Ryan Lindgren, a 2018 first-round pick, and a 2019 seventh round pick. The Rangers agree to retain 50% of Nash’s salary. He is making $7.8 million and will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.
Rick Nash Traded to Boston Bruins
Key Players
In Nash, the Bruins gets a veteran winger. His presence on the ice, and in the locker room has been a boon to the Rangers for years. Nash contributes for each team that he plays for. His efforts in his rookie season resulted in a Calder Trophy finalist nod. He has been a stalwart presence on the Rangers wing since he came to them in 2012.
This season he scored 18 goals and 10 assists for 28 points in 60 games. He also added 24 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers are 50.2 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of +4.7. Those totals are similar but slightly lower than last season, where he scored 23 goals and 15 assists for 38 points in 67 games. Over his 15-year NHL career, Nash has played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and New York Rangers. He has put up 434 goals and 365 assists for 799 career points in 1049 career games. He was originally drafted in the first overall of the 2002 NHL draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Return
Spooner, 26, has nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points in 39 games this season. His possession numbers are 52.9 percent Corsi and a -0.6 Corsi Relative. He was originally drafted by the Bruins in the second round, 45th overall, at the 2010 NHL Draft. In 253 career games, he has 41 goals and 101 assists for 142 points. He makes $2.85 million this season and will be a restricted free agent in July.
Beleskey, 29, has no points in 14 games this year. In 472 career games with the Bruins and Anaheim Ducks, he has 75 goals and 157 points. Beleskey is signed through the 2019-20 season with a cap hit of $3.8 million per season.
Lindgren, 20, was the Bruins second round pick, 49th overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. He has played on the USA World Junior team in each of the past two years, scoring one point in seven games in both tournaments, while playing a defensive role. He won a gold in 2017 and bronze this year. Lindgren is a sophomore at the University of Minnesota and has two goals and seven points in 33 games this year.
Main Photo: NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 18: Rick Nash #61 of the New York Rangers high fives teammates in the second period against the Buffalo Sabres during their game at Madison Square Garden on January 18, 2018, in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
