Former Columbus Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash had been connected to the team all offseason and once July 1 hit, he let it be known that he wasn't sure if he will be playing hockey during the 2018-19 season.
As Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman ramps up for another year, he released a 31 Thoughts column and included a small snippet about Nash's status. For now, it doesn't like anything has changed at all.
4. As training camps open, there’s no clarity on Rick Nash’s future. There were plenty of teams who checked in (Las Vegas and Toronto believed to be among them), and a GM indicated he heard one club was willing to offer $16 million over three years. Wife Jessica recently gave birth to their third child, and Nash’s injury history (including multiple concussions) had him seriously considering retirement. Agent Joe Resnick: “Nothing has changed since July 1. Status quo.”
The Blue Jackets are stacked on the wings and it would be tough for the team to fit him under their salary cap. While that may be the case, there has been plenty of smoke around Nash's name and the Blue Jackets regarding a potential reunion.
Given that he is one of the few notable names to be associated with the team, his status will keep many on the edge of their seats.
