Player Discussion Rick Nash

[BruinDust]

This is Rick Nash though. He isn't as productive on the score sheet, but he makes other players better, is always in the middle of scoring chances, plays some good D and all around hockey. He's not the sniper he once was, and that's ok. He was worth what we paid.

He is, he has added a dimension to this team that wasn't there before.

Not to mention his impact on his line-mates production:

8 Games prior to Nash:

Krejci = 1 G, 1 A

Debrusk = 1 G, 2 A

8 games since acquiring Nash:

Debrusk = 2 G, 7 A

Krejci = 5 G, 2 A

While I'm not yet convinced that he is a "Must re-sign", as for the price paid to acquire him, he's come in here and been impactful.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Nash and Spooner have each played 8 games since the trade.

Spooner 2-11-13 +3
Nash 3-1-4 -4

Spooner's winning.

Getting Nash is all about the playoffs. Its risky because Nash has not exactly been a playoff warrior in his career. But he won't have the burden of being the top gun here. Adding a player of his caliber to the second line should be a big plus.

 

[Mainehockey33]

Krejci and Debrusk have been more productive with Nash, true. Maybe it’s all Nash, and maybe switching up the lines would have had the same effect.

Spooner has better points and plus minus then Nash before and after the trade, true. Everyone hates plus minus and I know if I bring up the fact that Nash is a minus player I’ll hear from multiple people about how I’m wrong. For the record I don’t think Nash is bad defensively, but if he’s worse offensively then I would hope he’s head and shoulders better defensively.

Is Nash for a couple months, hopefully more, worth a whole 1st round draft pick to upgrade a player that was already playing great? I’m not sure.

 

[Oates2Neely]

Spooner playing lots of minutes on a shoddy Rangers squad who most nights isn’t really playing meaningful hockey.

He’s talented, but can he turn it up a notch come playoff time while handling the physical aspect of spring hockey? I think it’s his Achilles heel

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Krejci and Debrusk have been more productive with Nash, true. Maybe it’s all Nash, and maybe switching up the lines would have had the same effect.

Spooner has better points and plus minus then Nash before and after the trade, true. Everyone hates plus minus and I know if I bring up the fact that Nash is a minus player I’ll hear from multiple people about how I’m wrong. For the record I don’t think Nash is bad defensively, but if he’s worse offensively then I would hope he’s head and shoulders better defensively.

Is Nash for a couple months, hopefully more, worth a whole 1st round draft pick to upgrade a player that was already playing great? I’m not sure.

Not true.

 

[Mainehockey33]

Not true.

Well I know there will be plenty of people that will say it’s a lousy stat because Spooner has had a better plus minus then Nash all year. Hard to use the excuse of Spooner is on a terrible team so his plus minus is better then Nash, who plays for one of the best teams in the league.

 

[LSCII]

Nash and Spooner have each played 8 games since the trade.

Spooner 2-11-13 +3
Nash 3-1-4 -4

Spooner's winning.

Getting Nash is all about the playoffs. Its risky because Nash has not exactly been a playoff warrior in his career. But he won't have the burden of being the top gun here. Adding a player of his caliber to the second line should be a big plus.

This view is grossly misguided, IMO. You can't compare the two players production and say anyone is winning, since they do different things. Nash is a scorer. He's a shooter. He was brought in to score goals. Spooner is a playmaker and set up man. The reason they went out and got Nash is because that line was unbalanced, with 2 passers and 1 shooter. Now it's got one passer and two shooters and is far more balanced and better positioned for the playoffs, IMO.

 

[TaroTsujimoto]

Jury is still out on the trade, which seemed like an overpayment by Boston at the time. Nash has just 4 points in 8 games (compared to 13 points in 8 games for Spooner) and isn't a clinical finisher, but he has made the Krejci line better.

 

[TaroTsujimoto]

Nash is a scorer. He's a shooter. .

No he isn't. He needs several chances to cash in on one.

 

[Rubber Biscuit]

Well I know there will be plenty of people that will say it’s a lousy stat because Spooner has had a better plus minus then Nash all year. Hard to use the excuse of Spooner is on a terrible team so his plus minus is better then Nash, who plays for one of the best teams in the league.

It's a lousy stat when it's provided without any context. Looking at pre-trade, Spooner was a plus player on a team with a very good goal differential and Nash was a minus player on a team with a bad goal differential. That doesn't really tell us anything worthwhile about either player.

Post-trade, through 8 games Spooner is a +3 on a team that is even and Nash is a -4 on a team that is +6. I think looking at only 8 games would require a closer analysis of each game to tell you anything meaningful

 

[GloryDaze4877]

No he isn't. He needs several chances to cash in on one.

So, because he doesn't "cash in" on every chance, Nash is not a scorer?

I didn't realize that the average shooting % these days was 100% for scorers.

 

[World of Wardlow]

Nash and Spooner have each played 8 games since the trade.

Spooner 2-11-13 +3
Nash 3-1-4 -4

Spooner's winning.

Getting Nash is all about the playoffs. Its risky because Nash has not exactly been a playoff warrior in his career. But he won't have the burden of being the top gun here. Adding a player of his caliber to the second line should be a big plus.

Nash's size creates space and creativity for Krejci AND Debrusk. Spooner was not doing either on that line.
I'm happy that Spooner is doing well in New York.

 

[LSCII]

So, because he doesn't "cash in" on every chance, Nash is not a scorer?

I didn't realize that the average shooting % these days was 100% for scorers.

The best part is that people who hated Spooner and wanted him gone are the most vocal of why this move has been bad. They hated Spooner, yet he's now the missing piece? Jesus this place is bipolar.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

Nash's size creates space and creativity for Krejci AND Debrusk. Spooner was not doing either on that line.
I'm happy that Spooner is doing well in New York.

Yeah I agree,Krejci and Debrusk have both been better players with Nash on their line.Look I’m going to judge Nash and the trade on how he and Bruins do in playoffs ,obviously if they go out in the first round and he is relatively quiet than I would say don’t bring him back,or at least not for huge money anyway.

 

[Kalus]

So, because he doesn't "cash in" on every chance, Nash is not a scorer?

I didn't realize that the average shooting % these days was 100% for scorers.

My friend who is a Rangers fan told me that Nash has been a very frustrating player over the last few years in that he does so many good things and watching him out there, he looks like a 40 goal scorer, but is really more of 15-20 guy somehow.

I am fine with the trade. I get what they were doing. My gut reaction when the trade went down is that, given the Bs needs at the time, Nash is an upgrade. However, I don't think the value of this particular upgrade was worth what they gave up. Still, though, fine with the trade. He makes the team better now without giving up much too much and you have to go for it now.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

My friend who is a Rangers fan told me that Nash has been a very frustrating player over the last few years in that he does so many good things and watching him out there, he looks like a 40 goal scorer, but is really more of 15-20 guy somehow.

I am fine with the trade. I get what they were doing. My gut reaction when the trade went down is that, given the Bs needs at the time, Nash is an upgrade. However, I don't think the value of this particular upgrade was worth what they gave up. Still, though, fine with the trade. He makes the team better now without giving up much too much and you have to go for it now.

He has made his line mates better .

 

[Mainehockey33]

He has made his line mates better .

That’s definitely the biggest positive, he’s a great net front presence.

 

[alg363636]

Why is everyone acting like Spooner is some playoff choker? Because he wasn't great in the one 6 game playoff series he's ever been in? Good lord.

Nash's success here is totally dependent on how we do in the playoffs. We didn't need him to make the playoffs we need to him to make a deep run. If he doesn't produce and we get booted early the trade is a loss.

Therefore it's impossible to judge the trade right now. That being said I thought Spooner had been finding his groove here and I think we sold low on him.

 

[BruinsNetwork]

This Nash vs Spooner production thing just feels like a reach, IMO.

Spooner is producing for the Rangers at a high clip than Nash is for the Bruins— that is more than ok.

Nash wasn’t brought into Boston just to score and bring offense for himself; he was brought in to be a defensively-responsible winger with size for the 2nd-line who can shoot, score & create space.

Look at how much better Krejci has looked instantly after shedding Spooner and gaining Nash. Spooner has a great year here and improved, but he was still deficient in terms of defense and needed to be carried in that regard. Krejci has Nash, who is a 200ft-player, and now looks much better— there has been a weight lifted from his shoulders.

Same applies to DeBrusk, who has looked fantastic alongside Nash as they’ve established some quality chemistry already. Nash is a horse that isn’t easy to shut down, whereas Spooner is a small player and less physical— he can be pressed physically and shutdown easier.

Spooner is talented and I hope he sticks somewhere, wether it’s the Rangers or elsewhere. He’s a damn good player and good on him for working hard to reach the level he is at now.

Both players & teams benefited from the trade, it was a win for both teams.

Nash fits the Bruins better than Spooner, and Spooner fits on the Rangers better than he did in Boston. If you’ve watched his games so far for the Rangers, you’d see he has been allowed to use his speed and do his thing— less responsibility. It’s not a bad thing or a knock on Spooner, it is just how he is excelling right now.

Nash is a great fit here and every time he has the puck, the opposing defenders have to watch him and keep on him as he is a serious threat. This has opened things up for Krejci and DeBrusk.

 

[BruinDust]

This Nash vs Spooner production thing just feels like a reach, IMO.

Spooner is producing for the Rangers at a high clip than Nash is for the Bruins— that is more than ok.

Nash wasn’t brought into Boston just to score and bring offense for himself; he was brought in to be a defensively-responsible winger with size for the 2nd-line who can shoot, score & create space.

Look at how much better Krejci has looked instantly after shedding Spooner and gaining Nash. Spooner has a great year here and improved, but he was still deficient in terms of defense and needed to be carried in that regard. Krejci has Nash, who is a 200ft-player, and now looks much better— there has been a weight lifted from his shoulders.

Same applies to DeBrusk, who has looked fantastic alongside Nash as they’ve established some quality chemistry already. Nash is a horse that isn’t easy to shut down, whereas Spooner is a small player and less physical— he can be pressed physically and shutdown easier.

Spooner is talented and I hope he sticks somewhere, wether it’s the Rangers or elsewhere. He’s a damn good player and good on him for working hard to reach the level he is at now.

Both players & teams benefited from the trade, it was a win for both teams.

Nash fits the Bruins better than Spooner, and Spooner fits on the Rangers better than he did in Boston. If you’ve watched his games so far for the Rangers, you’d see he has been allowed to use his speed and do his thing— less responsibility. It’s not a bad thing or a knock on Spooner, it is just how he is excelling right now.

Nash is a great fit here and every time he has the puck, the opposing defenders have to watch him and keep on him as he is a serious threat. This has opened things up for Krejci and DeBrusk.

Good post, well said.

 

[NDiesel]

My take so far. He's always creating space or chances or making plays on the ice. Very impressive player even when he isn't scoring.

Right now he has absolutely no finish which is concerning, but I suspect when the team is healthy he is going to absolutely eat up 2nd and 3rd pairing dmen.

 

[Bearden]

Are we comparing Nash to the same spooner that was scratch in last years playoffs and replaced with vatrano and or Moore. Bet Nash doesn't did scratch.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

Nash has also drawn a penalty in every game as a Bruin I believe. Their powerplay has also gotten better without Spooner. I'm not saying Spooner was hurting the PP, but there were some who were saying that losing him would hurt the PP, but it has actually opened up more options as certain guys have gotten more ice time on the PP & Nash has given them some different configurations as well.

 

[TaroTsujimoto]

Nash needs lots of opportunities in order to convert. He's good at creating chances for himself, but not good at bearing down on them. Do not try to deny this--the evidence from the last 3 seasons is right there. He's certainly not a "shooter" or above average finisher anymore.

 

[Dr Hook]

Nash needs lots of opportunities in order to convert. He's good at creating chances for himself, but not good at bearing down on them. Do not try to deny this--the evidence from the last 3 seasons is right there. He's certainly not a "shooter" or above average finisher anymore.

To be fair, Spooner didn’t create a lot chances for himself and isn’t an above average finisher. They are two different styles player, the Bruins needed what Nash brings more than what Spooner did. This isn’t a knock on Spooner at all, but it was good trade for both teams and we are better with Nash in our top 6 than with Spooner given how the roster is constructed.