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Rangers Player Grades: Rick Nash, Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello

Bobby Bevilacqua

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Mats Zuccarello and Rick Nash made up part of the Rangers top line, a great possession line that was also responsible on defense, and poured on the goals. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.

When looking at every NHL team, each one features their top line, meant to contain the most skilled, best scoring forwards on the team that also play well together. Every line has its role, but the first line is where a lot of the scoring comes from.

Due to injury at the start of the season, and some new faces, Alain Vigneault struggled to find chemistry amongst the top three forwards. Rick Nash was always a top line staple, but Martin St. Louis started as the center in the first game of the season, because Derek Stepan was injured. Stepan was expected to be the team’s first center, but injury changed those plans.

At some point during the season, he decided to promote Derick Brassard to the top line, and soon after that, Mats Zuccarello on the right wing, due to how well him and Brass played last year. This line meshed perfectly together, and soon became the Rangers’ most productive line.

Nash, Brassard and Zuccarello could do it all. They play solid defense, maintain the majority of possession, and most importantly, score goals. Read the rest of this entry

Rumor Mill: McKenzie – Rangers may think about moving Rick Nash

Bobby Bevilacqua

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TSN/s Bob McKenzie reports that the Rangers could be considering trading their All Star winger Rick Nash, mainly due to cap space concerns. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.

With the Rangers eliminated from the playoffs, the time has come for crazy trade rumors. Already, fans are claiming that a Talbot trade would bring in the first overall pick, or Taylor Hall (hint: never going to happen), and there is clickbait galore claiming knowledge from “insiders” about some crazy trade that could happen.

The Rangers have the luxury of being a big market team, as well as one of the more wide-spread fan bases in the league, with Rangers fans all over the country. Because of this, they’re usually more susceptible to heavy criticism, lofty expectations, and yes, crazy trade rumors.

A few days ago, the Rick Nash trade rumors seemed to be grouped in with the rest of those crazy trade scenarios. But as time passes, the talks of this being a possibility haven’t slowed down, and may actually have some truth behind it. Read the rest of this entry