We wrote Tuesday about the “growing concern” for Rangers forward Rick Nash, who’s been out with a head injury since Oct. 8 when he was hit by Sharks defenseman Brad Stuart.
Nash, 29, will miss another game tonight when New York visits his old team in Columbus. And at this point, a return to action doesn’t seem imminent.
An ESPNNewYork.com source said that Nash “continues” to perform occasional physical activity at the team’s training facility, which sounds like a long way from being cleared for contact.
The Rangers are feeling Nash’s absence. They’re currently ranked 25th in goals per game (2.07), though they did score five times last night versus Pittsburgh.
New York’s offensive struggles were part of the reason the Nail Yakupov trade rumors created such a buzz. Remember, the Rangers don’t have Marian Gaborik anymore either.
“I just hope [Nash is] going to be healthy real soon,” said teammate Derick Brassard. “The team needs him – he’s our best offensive player.”