Do you think Rick Nash fulfilled all draft expectations?

[Falcons93]

I was with you all the way to the very last statement. Thornton and Kovalchuk were/are top 10 forwards of their generation. Thornton is a Hall of Fame player, Kovalchuk has a shot and would have been a lock had it not been for his leaving.

I agree with this - I was just saying that Nash is closer to Thornton and Kovalchuk than a lot of the first overall picks I listed in the third grouping who were pretty underwhelming during their careers. Thornton and Kovalchuk are both above Nash in my mind, but who would you group Nash with - those two, or Chris Phillips and Bryan Berard?

Maybe Lecavalier and Fleury are the closest comparables I should have used.

 

[93LEAFS]

I agree with this - I was just saying that Nash is closer to Thornton and Kovalchuk than a lot of the first overall picks I listed in the third grouping who were pretty underwhelming during their careers. Thornton and Kovalchuk are both above Nash in my mind, but who would you group Nash with - those two, or Chris Phillips and Bryan Berard?

Maybe Lecavalier and Fleury are the closest comparables I should have used.

I think Nash and Lecavalier are probably close to equals. I do think that Lecavalier had a much higher peak but was more inconsistent. I think we got a glimpse of Lecavalier being the player we expected, whereas Nash I think came up a little short, never having a season or two where he was absolutely dominant. You can't be disappointed with the pick, I just expected a little better peak (think peak Iginla, LeClair, Bertuzzi or Benn right now).

 

[Falcons93]

I think Nash and Lecavalier are probably close to equals. I do think that Lecavalier had a much higher peak but was more inconsistent. I think we got a glimpse of Lecavalier being the player we expected, whereas Nash I think came up a little short, never having a season or two where he was absolutely dominant. You can't be disappointed with the pick, I just expected a little better peak (think peak Iginla, LeClair, Bertuzzi or Benn right now).

Yeah, that's how I feel about him as well. He was a good/star player for a long time, but he was never really a superstar in the league.

Career totals might be similar to someone like Ray Whitney when he retires? (With more goals and less assists)

 

[Cursed Lemon]

I think the consensus on Nash is he should've been better than he was, but he hasn't been bad by any stretch of the imagination.

He does annoy me with his soft play for being such a big guy, though.

 

[Phenomenon13]

Hindsight is everything but never felt like you saw him at his best at the Olympics or the Playoffs.

I disagree. Nash has had great international success.

During the olympics in 2010, the Nash-Toews-Richards line was the best line for team Canada.

Playoffs you might have a point. He's been rather average relative to his pedigree.

 

[Riddum]

The type of finesse he has at this size is truly rare.

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

I think the consensus on Nash is he should've been better than he was, but he hasn't been bad by any stretch of the imagination.

He does annoy me with his soft play for being such a big guy, though.

This...the guy is Pierre Turgeon soft.
I mean, clearly he's compiled a good amount of goals and is reliable in that way, but I keep wanting more from him, especially at playoff time. Keep wanting him to have that breakout season where he's a Conn Smythe level.