One thing Jack Eichel knew as he approached Tuesday’s game at the Garden against the Rangers is that he wouldn’t be serenaded by 18,000 fans with a “We Don’t Want You!” chant, as Rick Nash was when he came to town with the Blue Jackets eight days before the 2011-12 deadline, scoring the tying run with 1:33 left in the regulations before Derek Stepan won it for the good guys in overtime.
(How would Eichel know that there would only be 1,800 fans in the building for this one.)
Back in the day, Big 61 was the shiny apple of the Rangers’ eye, the winger seen by then-general manager Glen Sather as the missing link to the team’s Stanley Cup ambitions. It had been headlines, with the blues shirts willing to part with quite an extensive package to add the winger to the first team line-up.
The Rangers, as reported at the time, offered Brandon Dubinsky, 2011 first-rounder JT Miller, Tim Erixon, Christian Thomas, and the 2012 first-round squad in exchange for Nash, who possessed a no-trade clause and could therefore choose his destination after he had asked for the eternal rebuilding in Columbus.
But the then GM of the Jackets, Scott Howson, was greedy. He wanted more. Indeed, he asked for Ryan McDonagh or Michael Del Zotto, plus Stepan or Carl Hagelin, plus the rights to BC junior Chris Kreider, plus Dubinsky, plus a first-rounder.
It was relatively easy for the Rangers to turn down that outrageous demand. The fans weren’t necessarily against taking over from Nash per se, but didn’t want to be a part of breaking up the Black-and-Blueshirts squad that had emerged as the surprise team in the NHL. (Surprise; then head coach John Tortorella didn’t want to split the team either.)
The Rangers advanced to the conference final before being knocked out by the Devils in six games. Months later, of course, Sather got his man (and a third rounder who would become Pavel Buchnevich) for the package from Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Erixon, and a first-rounder representing the equivalent of the pre-deadline offer.
Fast forward through multiple concussions, a Presidents ‘Trophy, a trip to the cup final and Nash’s disappointing playoff production ahead of his 2018 deadline for the Bruins, and nine years later, Eichel is the shiny apple of the Rangers’ eye.
Center wants to leave as he and his constantly oppressed Sabers make their way to Manhattan in the midst of what looks like their 10th consecutive season out of the playoffs and sixth in a row since Eichel was voted second overall behind Connor McDavid in the draft of. 2015. Buffalo freshman GM Kevyn Adams may not be in a rush to accommodate Eichel.
But when it gets real, the Rangers will be at the forefront of suitors’ row, whether before the April 12 deadline or during the off-season. It’s very Ranger-esque to hunt shiny objects, but here’s a difference. Eichel would not be superfluous. He wouldn’t be a luxury item. He is needed. He is also 24 years old. No Marcel Dionne, here.
The mysterious demise of Mika Zibanejad has prompted the Blueshirts to tackle their issues halfway through. It is no longer about Ryan Strome’s long-term viability as the second-line center. It is no longer a matter of having a tendency to deepen issues throughout the organization. Rather, it concerns the first line that the hierarchy thought to have settled with the rise of Zibanejad over the past two seasons.
Of course, there was the insane finish last year that brought in a season of 41 goals and 75 points in what became a 70-game schedule with Zibanejad playing 57 games. That cemented Zibanejad’s credentials as a center in the upper echelons. In the past two years, the 27-year-old Swede has collected 149 points (71-78), 20th best in the NHL overall.
But this year? Well, up to Monday, 166 attackers had been on the ice for at least 2:30 p.m. at five-to-five, according to NaturalStattrick.com. Zibanejad was 166th and last in production, with one point (an assist) in 237: 10. Zibanejad of course has one more year on his contract before he can become a free agent after 2021-22. It seems impossible for the Rangers to renew it all summer.
This creates the urgent need for a primary care center. Now you might notice that Eichel is 149th of qualified forwards in five-on-five production with five points (1-4), but that’s largely a product of organizational dysfunction, as is any shortfall in his game. Nobody doubts his status as a stud.
The Rangers would have to pay for Eichel, who has five years to go on a deal that will bring in fixed costs of $ 10 million per person, there’s no question about that. It’s almost impossible to think of a scenario under which the Blueshirts would fit the BU product – which played for David Quinn – unless Zibanejad (with a no-move clause) is part of the package that the other going in a direction. But summer is coming and the possibilities will be endless, albeit expensive. Nash-ish expensive.
On Tuesday, 1,800 fans may even have sung, “Yes, We Want You! Yes, we need you! “