Fan Sided has reported that one team looking to move some salary this off season is the New York Rangers as the front office attempts to keep several key players on the roster for the next couple of years. One reason for trading star forward Rick Nash is his contract, which is nearly $8 million per year for the next two seasons.
The team has several soon-to-be free agents and they want to keep the core group together, even if it means trading away one of the top scorers on the squad. Another reason is the lack of depth on defense as the team struggled keeping the opposition from scoring, especially late in the year.
Rumors of a potential trade to Minnesota has created a buzz with fans of the Wild. This team struggled to score goals and has a veteran group that needs to win now. Minnesota also has some good young defenseman on the roster, including Marco Scandella and Jonas Brodin, both of whom could be used to acquire the 31-year-old.
Nash was a bit off, scoring just 36 points in 60 games in New York this season, but the former first overall pick in the 2002 NHL Draft has been very consistent since entering the league. The veteran has 733 career points and is a proven leader. While the Wild won’t necessarily need his off-the-ice skills, it never hurts to have quality individuals on the roster.
TSN has also reported that the veteran is on the trading block, but points out that his current salary will make it tough to deal. If New York is willing to take on some of his contract, that could open the market to a few more teams, like Anaheim and St Louis, but for a team that needs to win now, the Wild appear to be the best fit at this time.
