Dallas Stars: Making Sense Of A Potential Rick Nash Trade

Rick Nash is on the trade block and looks as though he may be out of New York by the start of March. And for some reason, the Dallas Stars are being linked as a potential landing spot. What does Nash bring to the table and would he fit?

The NHL Trade Deadline is less than three weeks away. With that being said, the Dallas Stars are beginning to get their notes and thoughts together for a crazy finish to February.

But it’s not just them: it’s every team across the league.

As all 31 teams begin to lay out a potential finish to their 2017-18 season and predict how they will round out the year, the trade talks begin to swirl. Will they likely make it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and have a shot at the Cup? Are they a fringe team that could go either way? Or are they destined for an early offseason that will involve a lot of time to think before the 2018-19 season?

The New York Rangers fall into the middle category. They are a team that, even though they have struggled over the past few weeks, find themselves just three points out of a playoff spot. Considering the talent they have in their lineup at the moment, it’s easy to believe that they could make a rush to the playoffs and even win a series.

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But that’s not why they are at the center of the hockey world news right now. The reason that all eyes are on New York is because of their supposed activity over the next three weeks with trade deadline deals. Apparently, the Rangers are preparing to “blow it all up.”

The thing is that the Rangers have been consistent competitors for the past six or seven years. They have solid veteran talent in their lineup and an All-Star caliber goaltender that have carried them to the playoffs for seven straight seasons.

And though they went to the Stanley Cup Final in one of those seven attempts, they fell short of the ultimate goal.

Now that they are seven years older and no Cup to show for it, they are looking towards the future. Whether that includes a short-term rebuild like that of Jim Nill’s in his first offseason with Dallas or a long-scale project, the Rangers are trying to dish some of their older assets.

One of those is 33-year-old forward Rick Nash. The Rangers requested that Nash turn in his “no trade” list on Monday afternoon. Nash put 18 teams on the list as part of the no-trade clause in his contract. So now the question on everyone’s mind as trade deadline talks continue to swell up is: where will he go?

One of the names that has been tossed around a decent amount is the Dallas Stars. Yes, the team that seems to have very little cap space and a good amount of veteran forwards already in their lineup. The question, however, is would Rick Nash fit in Dallas and would it be a viable deal for both sides?

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At first glance, Nash is a skilled and accomplished power forward with an excellent career trailing him. He has 431 goals and 796 points in 1,042 games. Nash has split his NHL career between two franchises, being the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers.

He can still be a dominant goal-scorer and point producer when he stays healthy and is given the opportunity. His large size (6-4, 211 lb.) also makes him an ideal net-front presence for screening and allows him to create his own space when playing offense. He’s an effective winger on both offense and defense and can contribute on both the power play and penalty kill and bring about a shutdown presence if necessary.

All of this sounds grand, right? He could be a big asset to the Dallas Stars and give them some much-needed size in an otherwise relatively small and scrappy starting lineup. He could be a big piece of the special teams units and give the Stars an extra face on the leadership front with his postseason experience. Oh, and can you imagine Nash skating in the top six with the likes of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov, and Jason Spezza? That’s a nightmare waiting to happen for opposing defenses.

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In addition to that, Nash also played under Ken Hitchcock in Columbus for four years. With that being said, he’s accustomed to Hitch’s style and strategy. He would likely fit in rather quickly and find a spot on the team.

So would a deal work? That’s where potential problems arise.

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The first is the contract. The Stars are projected to have around $1,843,776 in cap space when the deadline rolls around, and Nash would cost somewhere just south of $1.7 million for the rest of the year. While it wouldn’t necessarily break the bank for the Stars, it would definitely put them in a tight spot for the rest of the season. It would specifically become an issue if players became injured and resulted in the need for minor leaguers to be called up.

Another issue is the potential return. Considering the Rangers are looking to build for the future, their asking price for one of their most talented forwards would not be cheap. A player like Julius Honka, Brett Ritchie, or even minor leaguers like Denis Gurianov or Jason Dickinson would probably be included in the price along with a relatively high draft pick. That’s a lot to spend on a guy that Dallas would probably stray away from re-signing in the offseason barring an incredible run in his 20-40 games in Victory Green.

And that’s another problem. We don’t know which teams are on Nash’s “acceptable” list, so that leaves us also wondering what situation he wants to be in. Is he looking to be a rental player with a shot at the Stanley Cup and then test free agency? Or does he want to go to a team where he knows he will be able to spend at least the next three or four seasons?

It depends on whether long-term security or a shot at the Stanley Cup (or potentially both, if he can find the right situation) is more important. If he was traded to Dallas, it would need to be made clear that he likely wouldn’t be with the team in 2018-19 unless he truly proved himself and was still alright with taking a pretty substantial pay cut.

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A similar situation is this past offseason when the Dallas Stars acquired goaltender Ben Bishop from the Los Angeles Kings. At the age of 30, Bishop not only wanted a starting role, but also wanted security. Considering he’s at the “peak” of his career, he wanted to make sure that he wouldn’t bounce around in the final few years of his playing time. The Stars satisfied that need by giving him a six-year deal.

Another factor is playing time. Nash knows he is still a solid hockey player and is likely looking for a team where he can make a sizable impact. He likely doesn’t want to be on a team where he will constantly bounce around the lineup and play third or fourth line minutes or even be reserved solely for special teams. He wants to make an impact because he knows he can.

With all of that involved, is it worth the risk? GM Jim Nill is known for making the seemingly impossible look easy and is a determined general manager. If he wants Nash and sees a perfect fit, he’ll do what he has to in order to get him. But if he doesn’t see it, he’ll stray away. He’s a smart guy and there’s a lot to take into account. Nash would definitely fit the system, but the deal itself might be a stretch.

Still, it’s an intriguing idea that could very well end up happening between now and February 26. And if it does, the Dallas Stars may very well have the most well-rounded offense going into the

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The Dallas Stars are rolling towards one of the most intriguing and uncertain trade deadlines in a long time. The Stars definitely aren’t sellers like they were last season, but will they be buyers? Or will they trust their roster and take a stab with what they current have?

It’s going to be a fun ride, that’s for sure.