Rick Nash Named Columbus Blue Jackets Team Captain

[VodkaFish]

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets announced today that left wing Rick Nash has been named team captain. Currently playing in his fifth National Hockey League season, he has been one of the club’s alternate captains since the start of the 2005-06 season. He becomes the fifth captain in franchise history, joining Lyle Odelein, Ray Whitney, Luke Richardson and Adam Foote.

Nash, 23, leads the Blue Jackets in scoring this season with a career-high 58 points on 35 goals and 23 assists in 68 games. He currently ranks seventh in the NHL in goals and is tied for fifth with four shorthanded goals, which is also tied for the most in club history (David Vyborny, 2003-04). He is six goals and seven assists shy of matching his career highs in both of those categories.

The first overall pick of the 2002 Entry Draft, Nash has registered 151-114-265 points and 372 penalty minutes in 351 career games with the Blue Jackets. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in goals, power play goals (55), game-winning goals (23) and shots on goal (1,083), ranks second in points (265) and assists (114) and stands fourth in games played (351).

The Brampton, Ontario native has appeared in three-consecutive All-Star Games, tallying 5-2-0 with a hat trick in this year’s game at Philips Arena in Atlanta. Nash won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the NHL’s top goal scorer in 2003-04, becoming the youngest player in NHL history to lead the league in goals (19 yrs.), and was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year in 2002-03. He represented Canada at the 2006 Olympic Games, led Canada to a gold medal and was the Most Valuable Player at the 2007 World Championships and was an All-Tournament pick and silver medalist at the 2005 World Championships.

[icegoat63]

Im excited to see Columbus put the trust on his shoulders. Hopefully things will change in that franchise and we'll see alot more positive in the near future!

Good move

[Isles4life]

Good decision. Nash was clearly their future captain, so why not give him the honor now?

[smichaels10]

He might start dropping the gloves more already.

[fansince65]

Originally Posted by smichaels10

He might start dropping the gloves more already.

Not likely !! he never was and never will be a fighter ..
I was wondering when the Jackets were going to make him the captain.. when they drafted him from the London Knights after just one season in JR they had this in mind .. they said he was the future back then ....

[bupz91]

wtg for nash, he's a good leader

[killmachine]

One of my favorite players currently. He'ls like the dude that do amazing stuff, but we'll never be one of those giant media magnets.

[icegoat63]

Originally Posted by killmachine

One of my favorite players currently. He'ls like the dude that do amazing stuff, but we'll never be one of those giant media magnets.

hahaha funny you say that because I was just talking to my buddy about Rick Nash and that media magnet thing came up. Do you think it would be different if he were on a roster that other cities feared? I think alot of the reason Rick Nash is so under the radar is because Columbus just hasnt been able to find that winning groove yet, heck just being over .500 for the season is an achievement! I am a Blue Jackets fan and I do have to say that although Rick Nash may not be a Sidney Crosby or a Alex Ovechkin, but when he's on he can really cause some damage! Im really glad to see him get the C, I truly think he's earned it. Vyborny may be the only player now in Columbus that will stay completely under the radar

[Juha82]

A good move of course!
O-K Tollefsen could be as well but more R.Nash.
A fantastic player.

[AVALANCHE FAN]

I actualy figured they would give it to someone like Chimera whos been in the league longer,Not that Nash doesnt deserve it but I didnt think they would put the extra pressure oif being the captain on him so soon.

[icegoat63]

Originally Posted by AVALANCHE FAN

I actualy figured they would give it to someone like Chimera whos been in the league longer,Not that Nash doesnt deserve it but I didnt think they would put the extra pressure oif being the captain on him so soon.

Thats a good point, I honestly forgot about Chimera. I was more suprised they didnt stick it on Peca until Nash was a little older. You know kinda like the Foote deal, only until he turns into a rental in the future.

[dumby]

Originally Posted by killmachine

One of my favorite players currently. He'ls like the dude that do amazing stuff, but we'll never be one of those giant media magnets.

amazing stuff; especially against the coyotes, if he played up to his TRUE potential every shift people would forget #99's name..

[Sam1410]

Good move. I'm actually surprised that they didn't do this earlier. Nash is a stud and is the face of the franchise.

He's represented Canada at the Worlds and the Olympics and is a fantastic player. I think they should have given him the C last year - something about having that responsibility makes most guys take their game to the next level. Nash has committed to getting better under Hitch by playing at both ends of the ice, now he can take a full leadership role. Again, good move.

[probertisachamp]

This is great news for Nash, he definetly deserves it.