CROSSWORD NO. 1
Riley Nash doesn’t have elite speed, size or skill, but what he does offer the Blue Jackets as a center is something they sorely need.
Nash’s two-way approach, as a 10year NHL veteran, has given some of the Jackets’ top scoring options a spark while not compromising on defense — a trait they’ve struggled to find while developing a trio of young pivots.
“He’s been one of our better centers,” said Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella,
who moved Nash from a checking-first center role onto a forward line with some of the team’s top scorers as wingers. “He’s given us some good minutes. He’s made plays. He’s getting
into a position with some offensive guys because he deserves to be there and other guys haven't done the job. A little bit of both.”
It's not fair to Nash's unheralded offensive skill to say he's the Jackets' No. 1 center by default, but that's the main reason. After the Blue Jackets traded former No. 1 center Pierre-luc Dubois to the Winnipeg Jets for Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic on Jan. 23, there was a dearth of proven options to center their top two lines.
Max Domi's struggles led to his exit from the position, Mikko Koivu retired and the Blue Jackets preferred to keep Boone Jenner and Nick Foligno at wing positions.
Jenner was eventually pressed back into the middle, but not before a competition for the top two center roles among young forwards Roslovic, Kevin Stenlund and Alexandre Texier. There were growing pains with all three, which led to Nash getting a shot to play as the top center recently in the final season of a three-year contract.
“It's another part of (developing) some of our centers, especially Tex and Jack,” Tortorella said. “Are you able to handle situations in our end zone defensively, which is a very important part of that position. There's a lot of things that need to be learned from some of our (inexperienced guys). Nasher's a very smart player below the hashes, and I think has provided us with some good offense. That's why he's getting the opportunity that he is.”
Nash is taking advantage of it, too, which he showed Thursday in the Blue Jackets' 5-4 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers. Not long after Oliver Bjorkstrand scored the game's first goal in the second period, Nash helped his linemate make it 2-0 with a feed from behind the net.
“He's one of those guys who hangs onto (the puck) that extra second, especially in the corners,” Foligno said. “He's kind of slippery and then can find somebody or create space for somebody else. A big job of the centerman is just trying to create some time and space for the wingers and then go play in the offensive zone. He's a guy that can do that and you see it.”
Nash also adds some levity with a dry sense of humor, which he showed this week while answering a question about Laine. The inquiry was whether Nash checked with the prolific goal-scorer about any preferences he might have from guys who center his line.
“Not really,” Nash said. “I kind of know the way he plays and if he's expecting me to be Connor Mcdavid for him, that's probably not going to happen. At the same time, I know that I've got to make more plays for him and get him the puck.” bhedger@dispatch.com @Brianhedger