When Glen Sather rolled the dice and traded for Rick Nash, it was universally approved by just about everyone in hockey. That included a diehard Ranger fanbase whose team came up a little short last year- losing to the hated Devils in the Eastern Conference Final. 

I was one of the few who remained skeptical. It had zero to do with Nash’s talent. Without hesitation, he is one of the best power forwards in the game. Even though he’s lit the lamp only three times, there’s no doubting his ability. We’ve seen the game breaking speed along with the size and strength which opens up the ice for teammates. In this case, Derek Stepan and Carl Hagelin, who have gelled with Nash to comprise the top line. 

The numbers don’t lie. Nash leads the Blueshirts in scoring with 12 points (3-9-12). The former Jacket has been more of a set up man than finisher. All too ironic considering that he had no talent around him in Columbus. This wasn’t supposed to happen on Broadway. By now, he should have nine or 10 goals. But a strange thing’s happened. The Rangers are once again not making the most out of a star player. The lack of production on the power play is mind boggling. Not one PPG for Nash, Marian Gaborik or Brad Richards. 

Recently, Richards’ play has slipped dramatically. John Tortorella benched him for almost the entire third period in a shootout loss to the Islanders. Astonishingly, he still ranks second behind Nash with 11 points. But anyone who’s paid close attention to the second-year Ranger knows better. He’s struggling to get anything done and has looked lethargic. It’s no longer early. The team is coming off a brutal loss to Montreal which dropped them to a mediocre 8-6-1. Hardly what was expected. If the season ended today, everyone’s pre-season favorite would miss the postseason.

With Richards unable to get untracked, it’s affected Gaborik who disappears when he doesn’t find twine. He’s one dimensional. Both play on the perimeter and rarely absorb physical contact. At least Gaborik leads the club with seven goals and draws penalties. With the former No.1 line off kilter, it’s put pressure on Nash’s line. If they can’t, the Rangers don’t have much of a chance. Ryan Callahan is playing out of position and Tortorella seems more concerned with Brian Boyle than Chris Kreider.

Which brings us back to Nash. He wasn’t expected to play Sunday against Washington, which is why Kreider was summoned from Hartford. Sometime last week, Nash sustained an undisclosed injury which the Rangers remain vague on. He absorbed a questionable hit from Boston wrecking machine Milan Lucic on 2/12. He registered an assist against the Islanders at MSG on Valentine’s Day and then added a helper in the club’s win over the Caps. That gave him points in four straight (1-4-5). 

Despite whatever was bothering him, Nash was a factor in the 2-1 victory over Washington. After being a question mark for that night, he missed Tuesday’s debacle. The Rangers have already ruled him out for tonight at Ottawa. The question is what’s wrong? Nobody seems to know. The organization has kept his injury a big secret, leading to speculation that he has a concussion. Is that the truth? What if it was just a re-injury from his time spent in Switzerland with HC Davos? 

Garden Faithful would much rather that be the case than a concussion for a player who was supposed to put this team over the top. Instead, they’re a work in progress. Gone is the team’s work ethic from last year that made them a fan favorite. When you make a big trade, players are sacrificed. Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky were part of that identity. So too were Brandon Prust and Ruslan Fedotenko. 

Despite players such as Callahan and Mike Del Zotto identifying what’s been missing, the Rangers continue to be inconsistent. They haven’t been able to sustain a consistent forecheck. Maybe they’re not that team anymore. Is it time for Tortorella to take a different approach? One thing is clear. Without Nash, they’re in trouble. 

Correct us if we’re wrong here. Weren’t the ’11-12 Rangers much more than one player? They played through injuries to key players and posted the East’s best record. Now, fans are in full panic mode because Nash might be out a while. What changed? When did our team become the Blue Jackets? Something definitely is fishy on Broadway.