Rick Nash is playing “awful” and “shrinking” in the playoffs

[chuckd3534]

On NBCSN last night, Keith Jones said the following about Rick Nash:

“if you are Rick Nash and sitting on the bench and seeing Tyler Johnson make it look easy, you are watching Stamkos pick up a goal on a re-direction and you are sitting there hoping you can get a point instead of going out there and getting it done.”

Jones added, “He is getting smaller as the playoffs are moving along. We watched it last year, we heard about the concussion that he had when he was lighting it up in the regular season. This is a long period of time for a star period to shrink and that is what Rick Nash is doing. ”

He continued, “Everyone wants to give Rick Nash the benefit of the doubt because of his regular season but this is awful hockey that he is playing on the ice right now and Alain Vigneault can pat him on the back for strong defensive play and hit attempts but there is a lot of circling and a lot of turning away from scoring opportunities that if you want to score in the playoffs you have to dig in and get them.”

 

[chuckd3534]

As much as Jones is a Ranger hater, he is 100% correct on Nash. He plays soft in the playoffs and doesn't go to the dirty areas to score goals. His break against Holtby in game 7 showed fear/nerves to me as that move was soft and pathetic. You see it with the goals Kreider scores, and then watch Nash play. The dirty goals Stepan scores, and then watch Nash play. You see the goals Brass scores, and then watch Nash play.

I don't know if he is so afraid to get hit and get another concussion, but whatever it is he is not getting it done, and things are getting worse for him.

 

[Messiah717]

The numbers for Nash are quite simple. Seven goals in fifty-five career playoff games. That's a goal just about every eight games which means on that pace if they went to the finals and played twenty-four games he would have three goals. Nash played soft towards the end of the season and has carried that right into the playoffs. Keeping to the outside and refusing to play in he middle of the ice. When he does get his chances on a rush he doesn't take it all the way to the net. I've seen enough of his shots right into the guy of the goalie. After last year you're just sick and tired of seeing this from Nash. Three goals during an entire run to the finals last year and just more of the same during this run.

 

[Rangers94]

They've gotta try and move Nash this offseason. He's great during the regular season, but when the playoff push comes and the playoffs start he's invisible. It'll be tough to get a good return on him that would offset his regular season production though, so I don't think he gets dealt.

 

[Messiah717]

They've gotta try and move Nash this offseason. He's great during the regular season, but when the playoff push comes and the playoffs start he's invisible. It'll be tough to get a good return on him that would offset his regular season production though, so I don't think he gets dealt.

Yup, nobody is taking on his salary plus giving you good enough value in return.

 

[Ranger71]

I don't really get why he would be willing to score those types of goals in the reg season but not in the playoffs playing for a SC. Seems like it would be the other way around. Maybe he feels teams arent as willing to hit then.

 

[theProdigy223]

Bottom line is this is the series where Nash HAS to get going, or he never will. The Bolts are not physical. They are not big. They play wide open. Their D after Hedman are average at best. Bishop is good not great. There is no excuse in this series for him. He's one of the biggest guys on the ice.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...65.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Never been a huge advanced stats guy, but some VERY interesting stuff here. Most notable to me is how his shooting percentage has taken a nose dive in each of his 3 playoff runs here when compared to the regular season. That's a result of his long-distance shots rather than going to the net, which is in turn a result of the less space opposing teams give him in the playoffs.

Like I said in another thread, this roster isn't built to create any space for him. MSL was supposed to be the guy to keep the D honest and take some heat off of Nash, and we all know how that's going. I like the idea of throwing Hayes on his wing, but Hayes is also still learning how to play in the playoffs. At the end of the day, Nash has to turn it on in this series or we will not be able to keep pace with TB's offense.

 

[chuckd3534]

Agree Prod. The simple way to view it is I just don't see us winning four 2-1 type games against TB. We will need to score 3 goals in some of these games to win, and thus far that has been a huge struggle for us to do (averaging 2 gpg in the playoffs).

 

[Disturbed]

Going to be pretty hard to see Nash continue in NY if he doesn't contribute something in these playoffs. Its mind boggling what he has become

 

[Stepupstepan]

To be fair and I am not defending Nash. He carried our offense for a big chunk of the regular season so you need to score goals in the regular season to actually get into the playoffs. Having said that, I think the guy just burns out mentally by the end of the regular season. He needs a good psychiatrist.

 

[Disturbed]

I'm a big Nash supporter but I don't think mentally he has what it takes to play in big games on the big stage. Shame too as this team needs an offensive force like him to win a cup I just don't think it's in his makeup to be the guy when the games are tough

 

[kreidertime]

Yup, nobody is taking on his salary plus giving you good enough value in return.

Bullshit. They will get a ton in return for him. There are almost no 40 goal guys in the NHL and he's one of them. There are a ton of teams that are no lock to make the playoffs each year and their GM's jobs are on the line. His return will be huge.

 

[Messiah717]

Bullshit. They will get a ton in return for him. There are almost no 40 goal guys in the NHL and he's one of them. There are a ton of teams that are no lock to make the playoffs each year and their GM's jobs are on the line. His return will be huge.

You forget we're in a cap era. He's an $8 million hit which automatically reduces the teams who would take that on. Then of course you likely want to send him out west.

 

[Disturbed]

Agree w Dump that Nash has value despite his playoff struggles. See Gomez

1-1 ECF. Let's find some offense in G3 and try to get to the Finals and worry about Nash's value in July after we win a cup

 

[puck2]

Rick Nash can help you win a Stanley cup, but he is not going to win you a Stanley cup. simply not in his DNA. Mike Babcock put him in a defensive role during the last Olympics for good reason. With no production from Nash, St. Louis and Zucc out, this puts us in a difficult spot. The formula has to be , Hank shutting the door and 2 or 3 goals from Step, Krieder, Brass, Hayes, Moore, or Hags somehow. Not sure that is going to get it done against the 3 remaining teams

 

[Disturbed]

Good post about Nash puck. I agree but the Rangers are far from done mostly because we have the best goalie in the world.

 

[puck2]

For sure. We have the best keeper who has proved himself over and over again. Let's hope he gets us to win number 16

 

[Messiah717]

Agree w Dump that Nash has value despite his playoff struggles. See Gomez

1-1 ECF. Let's find some offense in G3 and try to get to the Finals and worry about Nash's value in July after we win a cup

Montreal got completely ripped off in the Gomez deal. Nash is not getting traded so it's an idiotic discussion to keep having.

 

[Pastafazul]

tough situation, we are not here if not for his production, if the rangers for some reason lose this series which i doubt, he will be forced out by the fans, and media.

i still believe st louis and nash will produce.

 

[kreidertime]

No way Nash is on this team next year if he doesn't score and they don't win the cup. A lot of GM's out there are worried about there jobs. Adding a 40 goal guy is something they will do at a high cost. Rangers in the playoffs have proved they don't need Nash to win. They have to get enough in return to get into the playoffs They can do that in a Nash deal.

 

[Messiah717]

Sadly, they do need Nash to win.

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

Its not going to happen. He simply will not do the things he needs to do to succeed. Semi breakaway and the guy shoots at the dots.. Not drive lean into the goalie and make shit happen.... Perhaps get hooked... Perhaps held.. Perhaps he runs into the goalie.. None of that can possibly happen when you take a weak wrist shot from the dots.

We need to stop dreaming that one day he wakes up and says I'm going to lead this team climb on my back boys I got this.

 

[Messiah717]

He should be embarrassed.

 

[Rangers94]

Nash and St Louis are washed up. St. Louis because of his age and his legs. Nash because of his heart and how he's a coward.

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

This is when you need a strong minded captain and coach. Messier and keenan would have NOT let this pussying out happen, AGAIN.

 

[Messiah717]

This is when you need a strong minded captain and coach. Messier and keenan would have NOT let this pussying out happen, AGAIN.

Keenan would've benched Nash for at least one game at this point. At the very least he would've been riding the bench. He did it to Leetch. Mcdonagh is not Derek Jeter and the quiet leader crap doesn't work for him.

 

[NYR31]

you would think we had a dynasty in NY with Messier/Keenan...did i miss something? Keenan has as many Cups as Torts

 

[Messiah717]

you would think we had a dynasty in NY with Messier/Keenan...did i miss something? Keenan has as many Cups as Torts

54 years and New York. Go ask Toronto what they would do for a cup win after 48 years.

 

[chuckd3534]

MSL should be on the 4th line. Someone needs to get on Nash and say big fella you NEED to play a hard game and take the puck to the net. Enough with the BS...and take him off the PK, which has sucked anyway, so he can focus on O. And put him on the 1st PP unit over MSL. Give him every chance to score.

As for McDonagh, I disagree with most of you on him. He is a very good captain, for a first year captain still clearly growing into the role. Clearly he has had his ups and downs, but I see more ups than downs. I would like to see some more physical play, but overall I am okay with McD. He hasn't been dominant as most hoped, but he has been solid. Want more and need more, but he is far from a main reason we are down 2-1 in the ECF. And he is a big part of the reason we are in the ECF IMO.

 

[Messiah717]

I'm done with hoping Nash is going to do a damn thing. A snap of the fingers and suddenly he's going to be a beast? He has two goals in 15 games in these playoffs and one of them was useless in round one.