Blue Jackets executive Nash named Hockey Canada’s GM

Blue Jackets at Avalanche

The Blue Jackets’ front office will again have one of its own handling general manager duties for a national team at this spring’s upcoming men’s world championships.

Rick Nash, the Jackets’ director of player development, will be Hockey Canada’s general manager for the tournament May 10-26 in Czechia. A year ago, Blue Jackets director of player personnel Chris Clark had the same role for the U.S. contingent in Finland.

Nash, 39, is in his fifth season working for the Jackets’ front office. He was also an assistant GM for Canada’s silver medal team at the 2022 world championship. As a player, Nash represented Canada at three winter Olympics, four world championships and once in the world junior championship. He won Olympic gold in 2010 and 2014.

“Hockey Canada has meant a lot to me throughout my career, and I couldn’t be more excited to lead our team at the

When: 9 p.m. Friday TV: Bally Sports Ohio Radio: 97.1 FM world championships in May,” Nash said in a statement. “Representing Canada has been a great source of pride for me throughout my career and I am looking forward to working with our staff to put together a team that will work extremely hard towards our goal of winning a gold medal in Czechia.”

Having success as a GM at world championships can be a springboard to landing the same role with an NHL team. It helped former Blue Jackets associate GM Bill Zito stack his resume in 2018 with the U.S. prior to getting the Florida Panthers’ GM job two years later.

The Blue Jackets are without a GM after firing Jarmo Kekalainen in February, but president of hockey operations John Davidson – the acting GM – said the search for his replacement would begin with external candidates.