Expectedly, over the last couple of days, I have taken some serious heat from reputable (at least in the spectrum of my life) Blue Jackets fans over my hard nosed opinion of the value of Rick Nash. While I fully anticipated the flak I would receive, what I did not expect, was the way in which it was received.
I do believe they overpaid him. Based on a number of contracts currently in the NHL, Nash could have easily signed a contract for 1-1.5 million dollars less and been comfortable knowing he was in good company at that salary. It is rather hard to argue that statement, considering it is a fact throughout the NHL. I also will not ignore the fact that based on a clearly inflated ‘fair market value’ system spewing around the NHL right now, Ricky boy could have easily scored closer to 10 million with a team he had zero history with. Again, my opinion rests solely on the home discount I believe he should have accepted (and others CLEARLY have) in order to see Columbus succeed not this year, not necessarily next year, but the years following.
What IS true in all of this, is that Rick Nash is to Columbus what Gretzky was to hockey in the United States after his move to Los Angeles. Nash has had a number of highlights that have single handedly made fans out of naysayers in that city, and his legacy as a Jacket will be long standing within the organization and fanbase for the foreseeable future. I never once questioned his talent, and am fully aware that he remains the best player on this hockey team, although I absolutely have and will question whether one of Columbus’ prospects will eclipse him prior to or directly after their next contracts come.
My main issue with the last couple days was the way he slapped the organization in the face after the first offer. Yes, it was 100% a reactionary decision by Nash, and likely one that was spoon fed by his agent to really shake up the negotiation process, but it does not bode well as the captain of Columbus, nor should it in the eyes of every fan who had to deal with what players like adam foote did to the organization. It was a big red flag for me, one that I will not soon forget when thinking about what Nash has done for this team, and no, I am most certainly not ignoring what he has done for the community as well.
I hope this provides some clarity into my reasoning. There is absolutely no question that I value Rick as a part of this hockey team, and I do believe that he is a big piece of the puzzle when talking about going deeper into the playoffs, but for me, I feel that he could have given the organization a break when dealing with him, although, based on some of their more recent contracts, they overpay for pretty much everyone (see RJ, Commodore, Huselius)
Carry the Flag!
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