Newcomer Rick Nash ready to make an impact with Bruins

BUFFALO – Rick Nash said it was a crazy morning but he’s in town and ready to make his Boston Bruins debut tonight against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. The veteran forward learned of his trade from the New York Rangers to Boston at 8:30 this morning, and it wasn’t too long after when former Bruins captain Joe Thornton reached out to his good friend.

“He always said it was a great city and he loved it. He actually texted me this morning and wished me the best, so that’s pretty cool,” Nash said.



Nash had no-movement protection with the Rangers, but when the team asked for a list of teams to whom he would agree to be sent, the Bruins were first on that list.

“When they first asked me, I would obviously go wherever. I wasn’t going to hold them hostage, or anything like that, but I wanted to go to a place that wanted me and a place that had a great chance to win and Boston fits both those perfectly.

“I’ve only been here five minutes and you can sense that buzz and that excitement and energy that a winning team has.”

Nash will play the right side with David Krejci in the middle and Jake DeBrusk on the left.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to get a chance to play with a world-class player like that,” Nash said of playing with Krejci. Nash will be on the first power-play unit with Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Torey Krug.

Captain Zdeno Chara believes all the additions that general manager Don Sweeney made this week will help the team moving forward.

Nash “is obviously a big name and someone who established himself in the league for a long time and proved himself,” Chara said. “He’s a big asset to our team, so it’s exciting and happy to have him.”

The addition of Nick Holden earlier in the week, along with Nash and Brian Gionta is a clear message from ownership and upper management that the organization believes this team has a chance to do some special things this spring.

“Every team, at this time of the year, tries to improve their hockey club and there’s no exception with us,” Chara said. “We just try to improve our hockey club and that’s what upper management felt we needed. We’ve done it and we obviously have to keep going and keep playing the way we have been and worry about the later, later.”