Bruins deal for Nash
BUFFALO, N.Y. As well as the Boston Bruins have been playing, general manager Don Sweeney wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to make them better. And bigger.
Sweeney continued solidifying a playoff push Sunday by acquiring forward Rick Nash in a multiplayer trade with the Rangers that leaves New York retooling for the long-term future. The Rangers acquired the Bruins’ first-round pick in this year’s draft as well as forwards Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey, prospect defenceman Ryan Lindgren and a seventh-round pick in the 2019 draft in a deal reached a day before the NHL’s trade deadline.
“Our players have made a push and I wanted to inch that along if we could, and reward it in a way,” Sweeney said.
At 6-foot-4, Nash provides Boston an established power forward to fill out their second line centred by David Krejci. And the 33-year-old Nash, who has topped 30 goals in eight of his 15 seasons, also adds an offensive dimension to a team that has leaned heavily on its top line, which has combined to score 73 of Boston’s 191 goals this season.
Boston began the day with the Eastern Conference’s thirdbest record in preparing to close a five-game road swing at Buffalo. Nash arrived in time to make his Bruins’ debut.
The game was Nash’s first in nearly a week after the Rangers had him sit out their previous two games to avoid the possibility of him getting injured.
“It was a strange last few weeks in New York, but I’ve moved on and I’m excited about this opportunity,” he said.