NHL Trade Grade: Boston Bruins pay hefty price for Rick Nash

Let’s take a look at how the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers did in the Rick Nash trade. 

Class is back in session. This time of year, NHL general managers try to do one of two things – load up for the playoffs or improve their future by selling off assets. Early on Sunday, the largest domino available at the NHL trade deadline fell when the Boston Bruins acquired Rick Nash from the New York Rangers.

This trade was the quintessential deadline trade, both from the standpoint of a contender and a seller. The Bruins got Nash, a very dangerous forward who, even when he’s not scoring, still does a lot of positive things. Meanwhile, the Rangers got a massive haul for a guy they might have lost for nothing in a few months.

Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton and Bruins general manager Don Sweeney have turned in their homework. Let’s grade their performance.

Bruins

This is a very hefty price to pay for the Bruins. That said, Sweeney has done quite well in the draft as of late. The Bruins are deep with prospects in their system, so giving up a first-round pick isn’t a huge deal. It will likely be a late first rounder anyway.

I’m not a huge fan of trading Spooner because I still think he has the potential to be a consistent contributor in the NHL. But he has yet to prove himself worthy of a long-term investment. Since Spooner’s going to be a restricted free agent after this season, moving on from him makes some sense. At least the Bruins got a really nice upgrade in Nash for him.

Matt Beleskey was a terrible addition to Boston even before the ink on his contract died. He’s been respectable while on the ice, but injuries have really derailed him. Getting rid of his contract is huge.

What I love about this trade for the Bruins is they still have all of those prospects. They can still make another huge move. As the Penguins have shown, being bold and willing to make huge trades can pay off in a big way. This should do that for the Bruins.

Grade: B+. A hefty price to pay for Nash. But a warranted one.

Rangers

It’s weird seeing the Rangers as sellers. Then again, people said the same thing about the New York Yankees and they’re in a much better place because they were willing to be sellers. So far, Gorton is off to a nice start to his first month as a true seller.

Gorton has rarely had a first-round pick. But when he has, he’s done fairly well. So adding a second first-round pick is a huge win for the Rangers, even if this one will be much closer to number 31 than the top of the draft.

Spooner’s an intriguing guy to add. He’s an above-average playmaker. But Spooner isn’t much of a goal scorer. The Rangers need guys who can score goals, so this is a tad bit concerning. Maybe a change of scenery will treat Spooner well.

Ryan Lindgren is a defensive defenseman. Usually, this title has some negative connotations. But Lindgren is truly a force in the defensive zone. If you’re looking for flashy puck moving, that’s not his style. But Lindgren still has what it takes to be an NHL caliber defenseman.

Grade: A+. Take a bow, Gorton. You probably should have continued rebuilding in the summer of 2017 after the Derek Stepan trade, but this return redeems you.