Rangers' Rick Nash Makes Statement with Performance in Season Opener vs. Blues

After another frustrating playoff performance, it went without saying that all eyes would be on Rick Nash of the New York Rangers.

Nash was supposed to be the final piece that put the Rangers over the top, but instead he drew tons of criticism for becoming a defensive specialist when his team needed him to put the puck in the net.

The Rangers' star winger acknowledged that he needed to be better in 2014-15, and he talked about getting in better shape so that he would be ready for the regular season. It has only been one game, but boy oh boy, Nash looks like a different player.

Yes, it was only one game—but for Nash he needs to get into a rhythm in order to be a productive player. He is a creature of habit, and when his game is on, it is on in a big way. The biggest example was leading up the Olympics last year, as Nash made a strong case in order to suit up for Team Canada.

Nash’s hot start against the St. Louis Blues was impressive, and it was a situation in which the star winger backed up his words from a few weeks ago.

The significantly lighter, quicker and fitter Nash was the Rangers’ best player on the ice, and he tallied two goals and an assist. Last season Nash was listed at 6’4” and 220 pounds. This year his weight is listed at 213 pounds on Yahoo Sports.

The loss of seven pounds has made a huge difference, as Nash’s initial strides were a lot more fluid and seamless through the game against St. Louis.

Nash was able to get the Rangers off on the right path with a solid defensive effort that lea to the team’s first goal, and later in the game his aggressiveness enabled him to feed Chris Kreider for a go-ahead breakaway goal.

The Brampton, Ontario, native went on to score the game-winning goal with minutes remaining in the game, and the puck went into the net because Nash was engaged and in the right place. It seemed that every shot Nash took last season was from the perimeter, and as a result he struggled.

Larry Brooks of the New York Post talked about Nash’s struggles last year, and his report provides some context for why the former No. 1 overall pick was not playing up to his potential last season.

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It was Nash’s second concussion within 10 months as a Ranger, the first courtesy of Boston’s Milan Lucic in February 2013. And the second one changed Nash’s game, turning him into less of a physical player and more of a perimeter one; less effective, to be sure. Night after night, Nash criticized himself for “not getting to the inside.

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Nash admitted to the media that he wasn’t doing the things that made him successful in the past, and that certainly brought some clarity to the situation.

Via Brooks again: “Coming back from the concussion, it was tough for me to feel comfortable on the physical side of it. You can say maybe I was a little ‘careful,’ but it wasn’t as much being ‘careful’ as just not being comfortable in certain situations.”

Against the Blues, a team that is known for being a heavy team that likes taking the body from time to time, Nash didn’t shy away from physical contact. In fact, Nash made it a point to go into the corners and in high-traffic areas, and he clearly was playing like someone who was not afraid.

His positioning and aggressiveness ultimately made the difference, because two of the Rangers’ goals wouldn’t have been possible if Nash had been roaming the perimeter waiting for his opening.

Nash’s start couldn’t have gone any better for the Rangers. He has the potential to be a key player for the Rangers, and he can be a factor in whether or not the team wins a Stanley Cup this season.

The Rangers’ next game is against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Nash’s former team, and it will be interesting to see how he takes his game to the next level. A few weeks ago it was just talk, but after watching Nash in game one of the regular season, there is now reason to believe that this season can be different for him.