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Block UserThe Columbus Blue Jackets took a major step on Friday to maintain the stability of their franchise and retain a key building block in their recent development by re-signing star winger Rick Nash to a multi-year contract extension.
Nash, who was eligible next summer to become an unrestricted free agent, will be on an eight-year, $62.4 million contract starting in 2010-11, which will be a $7.8 million hit per season to the Jackets cap.
It's the right move for the Jackets, a team which over the past two seasons have finally built themselves into a legitimate playoff contender. Nash is the face of the franchise and the star to build around in the coming years.
Some might question paying him that much but if the Jackets didn't he would've easily received that much money - perhaps more - next summer on the open market, even if as expected the salary cap declines.
It's believed the Toronto Maple Leafs would've been very interested in signing Nash, a hometown boy who grew up idolizing the Leafs.
Nash has yet to fully blossom into a superstar but there's no questioning his offensive ability. He's a former co-winner of the Richard trophy in 2003-04 for most goals in a season and has twice cracked the 40-goal mark in his young career.
Last season the 25-year-old winger had 40 goals and a career-best 79 points in 78 games and three points in four post-season games.
Nash is poised to enter his playing prime and has the potential to become a fifty-goal scorer, and as one Columbus scribe observed he's worth every penny of his new contract, comparing him to Jarome Iginla's worth to the Calgary Flames.
He's the franchise player and well worth the money.
Did you think it would turn out any different?...........There was never a doubt in my mind.......I was a Jackets season ticket holder.....I watched Rick Nash amaze our crowds each and every game......We always had a reason to stand when Rick was on his game and that is nearly every night.
Wrench_WizardDuring Rick's first season......the Jackets were playing the Blackhawks......Rick was trying to make an impact.....Phil Housley had the puck behind his own net.....Nash was bearing down on him and guessed right at the direction Housley was going to skate the puck behind the net.......At nearly full stride....Nash attempted to drill Housley into the endboards.....but the cagey veteran sidestepped the furious check and watched as Nash's energy was asorbed by the dasher and glass............The roar of the crowd leading up to that moment had been constantly building as the Jackets had the Hawks hemmed in their own zone for the entire shift.............As Nash crumbled to the ice.......the entire arena took a gasp.....OHHHH was a dull echo but a unison response from the entire crowd.....it was the single most defining moment of the Blue Jackets brief career....because we knew what the kid meant to our hopes and dreams of skating with the big-dogs of the NHL.........That moment of silence was everlasting in my mind.....and I bet Rick remembers it too.
This is and always will be Rick's team......Lyle Odeline....Ray Whitney.....Luc Richardson.....Adam Foote.....They were decent Captains.....but it was never their team.
11:29 AM EST