Rick Nash announced his retirement from hockey on Friday, with his agent telling the media that the 34-year-old winger was stepping away due to issues related to concussions.
Nash played the majority of his career with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Rangers before a short stint with the Boston Bruins at the end of last season.
Nash Retiring to Prevent Further Brain Injury
In a statement, agent Joe Resnick outlined the reasons behind Nash’s decision.
“Due to unresolved issues/symptoms from the concussion sustained last March, Rick Nash will be forced to retire from the game of hockey,†the statement read. “Under the advice of his medical team, the risk of further brain injury is far too great if Rick returns to play.â€
Nash was traded to Boston just before last season’s trade deadline in exchange for a package of prospects and draft picks. However, Nash would ultimately only play 11 regular season games for the Bruins, as a concussion suffered when Tampa Bay’s Cedric Paquette hit him in a March 17 game kept him out for the remainder of the season. It was at least the third concussion Nash had suffered during his career.
Nash did return for the playoffs, in which he played all 12 games for Boston. But the prolific scorer managed just three goals and two assists for his new team before the Bruins were eliminated by the Lightning.
Elite Scorer for Club and Country
Nash was drafted as the No. 1 overall pick by Columbus in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. He immediately made an impact as an 18-year-old, scoring 17 goals in his rookie season.
But it was his sophomore campaign that established him as one of the league’s premier scoring threats. In the 2003-2004 season, he led the league with 41 goals, one of three times he would score 40 or more in his career.
Nash was named to six All-Star teams over the course of his career, and was on the NHL All-Rookie Team in his first year. He retires with 437 goals and 368 assists to his credit. He was also part of the 2010 and 2014 Canadian Olympic teams that won gold medals, and won a world championship for his country in 2007.
Nash’s decision comes despite the fact that he likely could have found a spot on a roster with a competitive team. He was a highly valued free agent after last season ended, but surprised many by saying that he would be sitting out the beginning of the free-agent period. In October, rumors surfaced that he had already submitted his retirement paperwork to the NHL.
According to a report by TSN’s Darren Dreger, several teams had been checking in on Nash’s status in recent months, including Boston, Columbus, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the San Jose Sharks, and the Pittsburgh Penguins – all of which currently sit in playoff position.