Player Discussion Rick Nash Part V

[ReggieDunlop68]

I don't know how many times I've read about being paid to be a difference maker every game. Listen people. No player in the whole league is a difference maker every game (except maybe for Patrick Kane this year, who has the best season since Baby Jesus). If your team relies on that one damn player to make a difference every game, you're looking at being a bottom feeder. The Hawks have Toews, Kane, Hossa, Keith and some other guys who step up in the playoffs. The Kings have Doughty, Quick, Kopitar and the 70s Line.

When you look at why we haven't won the Cup when we had the chance, it's a little bit of everything. Part of that is due to Nash's struggles, part of it is due to injuries, part of it is due to other players not having the space they need and have in the RS, part of it is due to the defense, part of it due to not adapting our style of play/system. And a large chunk of it due to just not getting the right bounces at the right times.

I get the frustration, I really do. I'll admit he looks disengaged at times. I'd argue much of how he's perceived is due to his appearance. He's a tall guy who, for a professional athlete appears to be on the large end of things, not anywhere close to Byfuglien though, still the kind of guy, who invites you over for burgers and a beer on a sunny day, if you get what I mean. What gets overlooked is that he's a grade A athlete: He hustles, but he doesn't look like he hustles. He drives the net, but looks a bit slowish. I'd say a lot of this is due to his stature.

If the right trade is there, of course you trade him. The whole situation with rumours of the cap going down isn't going to make this any easier. If you can't trade him, he's still a very valuable piece for your own team. We're on the inside track in this scenario.

Forget about always, I'll settle for one time in the playoffs.

 

[Raspewtin]

I don't think anybody expects him to be a difference maker every game. But has he been a difference maker in just one game in the playoffs? I can't remember a single game "won" for us. And this regular season is mostly in line with that.

I think there's no one who will say that Nash is worthless. He is a good player and he makes a team better. But he isn't doing it in the quantity that his salary should dictate. Especially not in the area of the game where we need him most (score goals).

There are far worse players in the team and there are worse contracts. But that doesn't mean that Nash is doing what he is supposed to do.

No skater has ever "won" a game by themselves in the playoffs.

 

[Vickers8]

Which one is Nash?

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

No skater has ever "won" a game by themselves in the playoffs.

We could argue the semantics of "has a skater won" a game on his own, but...



Please note: This is not a video of Rick Nash

Yes there is always a team effort, but the team effort was there in 2014 and 2015.

 

[Miamipuck]

We could argue the semantics of "has a skater won" a game on his own, but...



Please note: This is not a video of Rick Nash

Yes there is always a team effort, but the team effort was there in 2014 and 2015.

Did Mike Richter play in that game? Without his effort that 3rd period heroics do not happen.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Did Mike Richter play in that game?

Yeah, he played the same number of games as Lundqvist.

Richter held the net as Lundqvist did, but Mark Messier scored. I think this might be a subtle difference, but it's a point non the less.

 

[Miamipuck]

Yeah, he played the same number of games as Lundqvist.

Richter held the net as Lundqvist did, but Mark Messier scored. I think this might be a subtle difference, but it's a point non the less.

But nothing that game isn't an argument for 1 guy winning. The Rangers do not get to win that game without Richter so he was as integral to winning as Messier was. Messier gauranteed and came through but he didn't win it alone.

Edit: So we don't go there, Nash is no Messier.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

But nothing that game isn't an argument for 1 guy winning. The Rangers do not get to win that game without Richter so he was as integral to winning as Messier was. Messier gauranteed and came through but he didn't win it alone.

Edit: So we don't go there, Nash is no Messier.

In my OP, I alluded to the semantic issue of "one guy winning the game". I understand it's a team game, so technically, even if one player did 99.999999999999999999999999% of the work, he did not do it alone, since his teammates shared the load of the pico fraction of the slack.

That being said, if no one is capable of completely carrying a game, then the Mark Messier guarantee is the closest thing to it; therefore in direct comparison to the Mark Messier guarantee, Rick Nash's contribution in the playoffs given his skill set is similar to the effort of the people shooting the T-shirts into the stands between periods at MSG. Of course this is an argument of relativeness.

 

[Miamipuck]

In my OP, I alluded to the semantic issue of "one guy winning the game". I understand it's a team game, so technically, even if one player did 99.999999999999999999999999% of the work, he did not do it alone, since his teammates shared the load of the pico fraction of the slack.

That being said, if no one is capable of completely carrying a game, then the Mark Messier guarantee is the closest thing to it; therefore in direct comparison to the Mark Messier guarantee, Rick Nash's contribution in the playoffs given his skill set is similar to the effort of the people shooting the T-shirts into the stands between periods at MSG. Of course this is an argument of relativeness.

It's just an argument of opinion.

Also, Messier isn't the definition of 1 man carrying a game, though. He backed up his words bigtime, but that doesn't mean he carried the game by himself, Richter for sure and Kovalev to a lesser degree say otherwise. I guess there's a subtle difference there or a manner of semantics as you alluded to.

You don't like Nash I get it. I think we all do but why stop at a t-shirt guy, don't you think peanut vendor is a better comparison?

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

It's just an argument of opinion.

Also, Messier isn't the definition of 1 man carrying a game, though. He backed up his words bigtime, but that doesn't mean he carried the game by himself, Richter for sure and Kovalev to a lesser degree say otherwise. I guess there's a subtle difference there or a manner of semantics as you alluded to.

You don't like Nash I get it. I think we all do but why stop at a t-shirt guy, don't you think peanut vendor is a better comparison?

No, because the peanut vendor carried more weight than the T-Shirt shooter.

 

[Off Sides]

I just don't think Nash is a primary elite playoff player.

I think much like Gaborik if he was put on a team that already had like 3 or 4 top notch playoff guys he'd fit in just fine. But as the primary offensive weapon, he looks like he has on the Rangers in the playoffs.

 

[Miamipuck]

No, because the peanut vendor carried more weight than the T-Shirt shooter.

Yeah, isn't that his contribution, peanuts man?

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Yeah, isn't that his contribution, peanuts man?

Laugh all you want, but the Peanut Vendor showed up as expected the entire playoffs for close to minimum wage, and his performance from the regular season carried into the playoffs.

 

[jniklast]

No skater has ever "won" a game by themselves in the playoffs.

That's why I put it into quotes. But let me rephrase that question: How many times has Nash been the Rangers' best skater (let alone player) in a playoff win? I can't even think of one game.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

That's why I put it into quotes. But let me rephrase that question: How many times has Nash been the Rangers' best skater (let alone player) in a playoff win? I can't even think of one game.

Well if you put it that way, the answer would be "never". I put never in quotes because I don't want to be called out for not mentioning other parallel universes.

 

[ArPanet]

Unfortunately too late to trade him. Have no doubt the decline has begun. Will be lucky to stay healthy full season and score 25 or more goals. But hey he's a great penalty killer and plays great defense.

Funny how for Stepan his low goal scoring totals relative to his salary people don't seem to mind so much.

 

[jniklast]

Funny how for Stepan his low goal scoring totals relative to his salary people don't seem to mind so much.

Maybe because he is expected to be a playmaking center?
Or what about McDonagh? He doesn't nearly score enough goals when considering his salary...

 

[LT]

1K. Feel free to make a new thread.