In the past 4 seasons, plus this current season, Nash is currently at .6PPG.
If you cut out his 14-15 campaign, which was clearly a fluke, he's a .54 PPG.
This current season, he's at .4PPG...
ALL of these numbers are completely unacceptable for his salary. He's been worth his contract exactly 2 seasons, and 1 of those he was a no show for the final 1/4 of the regular season, and then stat-padded himself in the playoffs.
That points to a system issue. If Rick Nash has been your best player point wise, then this team just isn't very good
lets not do points per game. lets do even strength and pp points per 60.
if Crosby plays 20 minutes in a game, odds are its 5 mins on the pp and 15 mins at ES
if Nash plays 20 mins in a game, its the apocalypse because AV never plays anyone more than like 15 mins a game. But if he did play 20 mins in a game it would be like...12 mins at ES, 2 mins on the PP, and 6 mins on the PK.
Lets do a quick look at one of the NHLs best players shall we?
Nikia Kucherov.
He plays 20:26 per game. of which 3:51 comes on the PP, and 0:00 comes on the PK
Rick Nash plays 17:01 per game...2:06 on the PP and 1:47 on the PK.
so he's already playing 3 and a half minutes less per game than Kucherov, but then youre factoring in that he plays almost a full 2 minutes of his lesser ice time on the penalty kill, and almost a full 2 minutes of his ice time less on the PP than Kucherov and you ask yourself...is it REALLY fair to compare Kucherovs 60 points (jesus) to Nashs 17 (jesus yuck) in a straight 1:1?
No, of course not.
we're halfway through the season and Kucherov has already played 162 more minutes at even strength, 74 more minutes on the power play, and 75 fewer minutes than Nash has on the penalty kill.
It's also worth noting that Nash's most common linemates this year are Hayes and Zucc, but its spread out all over the place...none of the players he's played regular minutes with has exactly tore it up offensively. While Kucherovs most common linemates are Stamkos and Namestnikov.
So yes...Rick Nash has had an ABYSMAL season...and really he hasnt produced to the level he is expected to in a while...but if you dont think their are factors in that...like the quality of his teammates, the way he's deployed (53: oz to Kucherovs 63%), and his minutes, then you're either hating just for hatings sake, or absolutely blind to the other aspects of hockey that come into play.
I'd be really curious to see how Nash would do under a better coach who deployed him the way other stars are deployed.
Nash is clearly still getting a ton of A+ opportunities that hes not burying...so you cant say hes a worthless player...worthless players dont get those chances...his lack of finish could be a few things, like a wrist/shoulder injury...sheer luck....weak character/brain/self defeating attitude, etc.
with aaaallllll of that said...i'd still trade nash..because i dont think this team will win a cup in the next few years, and i think Nash, if other coaches/gms are really paying attention, should garner a decent return. id trade everything that isnt bolted down and start over, because i just dont think you can win a cup without someone to lead the way...the rangers are a collection of supplemental players, spearheaded by a braindead head coach.