The rest of the NHL was put on notice Sunday with the Boston Bruins' acquisition of highly prized trade target Rick Nash from the New York Rangers.
Boston already boasts a stacked forward lineup that includes the likes of David Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron, and Brad Marchand, and with an experienced, pure sniper like Nash now in that mix, the Bruins have the potential to be a very tough team to deal with down the stretch.
However, a trade of this magnitude has obvious ramifications that are sure to ripple throughout the league.
With that in mind, theScore's NHL editors Sean O'Leary and Flip Livingstone break down what the trade means for the Rangers, Bruins, and rest of the league.
Bruins cement status as legit Stanley Cup threat
While there is no denying Nash's days as a 30- to 40-goal man are firmly behind him, Boston is still getting a game-changing forward who's developed into a smarter, more complete player in recent seasons.
His hulking 6-foot-4 frame and commitment to playing a two-way game make Nash the perfect add for a Bruins team that prides itself on playing an aggressive, defensively-responsible style.
A season in which Nash has registered only 28 points in 60 games shouldn't exactly lead Bruins fans to start planning the parade, but his playoff track record might - 41 points and two game-winning goals in 77 career postseason games.
The Bruins already can score with the best in the business (191 goals - tied for sixth-most in the league), but with Nash now in the fold, expect Boston's offensive output to increase.
Boston was already a serious contender to be sipping from the Cup come June. And now that Nash is rocking black and yellow, it just became the favorite.
What does the winger market look like now?
(Photo Courtesy: Getty Images)
If Nash, 33, fetched a roster player, two-picks and a prospect, what does that mean for the other wingers rumored to be available?
Evander Kane, Mike Hoffman, Max Pacioretty and perhaps even James van Riemsdyk could all be on the move by Monday. All of whom are younger, cheaper, and have produced more points than Nash so far this season. Nash certainly holds the advantage in experience, but one wonders if any potential suitors would have to give up more than the Bruins did with a market already established.
The teams looking to sell sure hope so.
Nice work, Rangers
After ownership announced the team will forego pursuing it's slim chances at earning a playoff spot and commit to a full-on rebuild just over two weeks ago, the Rangers have already done a terrific job gathering valuable assets on their expendable players.
After dealing Nash, Nick Holden, and Michael Grabner, the Rangers now own six picks in the first three rounds of the 2018 draft, a luxury they were never even close to having through their years as Stanley Cup contenders.
All in all, it's been a good week for general manager Jeff Gorton & Co.
The Rangers just added 4 picks in the past 5 days and haven’t even moved their most valuable trade asset yet. That’s some tidy work.
— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) February 25, 2018
New York can still fetch another hefty return by trading captain Ryan McDonagh, whose drawn interest from plenty of teams as an affordable top-four blue liner. His departure would kick the Rangers' tank into overdrive, but would further help stock a previously bare cupboard with even more picks and prospects.
The Rangers made a long-term pledge to build their team the right way, but based on their body of work so far, perhaps the plan has already been accelerated.
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