Columbus Blue Jackets to retire Rick Nash's No. 61

The Columbus Blue Jackets will retire the No. 61 of Rick Nash, the franchise leader in goals, assists and points, the team announced on Thursday.

The team will raise the No. 61 sweater to the rafters above Nationwide Arena before a game against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, March 5.

Nash is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played, goals, assists and points with 289 goals and 258 assists for 547 points with 568 penalty minutes in 674 games from 2002-12. The team’s captain from 2008-12, he represented the Blue Jackets at five All-Star Games and won a Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy and the NHL Foundation Player Award during his nine seasons with the club.

The Blue Jackets selected the Brampton, Ont., native with the first-overall pick at the 2002 NHL Draft at what was then the Air Canada Centre in Toronto after acquiring the pick from the Florida Panthers in exchange for the third-overall pick and future considerations.

Nash made his NHL debut on Oct. 10, 2002, against Chicago and scored his first career goal in a 2-1 win. He went on to post 17-22-39 totals in 74 games that season, earning NHL All-Rookie Team honors and a nod as a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie.

Nash was traded to the New York Rangers on July 23, 2012, and spent the next six seasons with the club. He scored a career-high 42 goals with the Rangers in 2014-15 and represented the club at the All-Star Game held at Nationwide Arena that year.

His final season, in 2017-18, included 11 regular season and 12 Stanley Cup Playoffs games with the Boston Bruins. During his 15-year career over 1,060 games, he had 437-368-805 totals, including 232 power-play goals and 73 game-winners, plus 750 penalty minutes. He added 18-28-46 and 32 PIMs in 89 career Stanley Cup Playoff appearances.

In 2019, Nash returned to the Blue Jackets as a special advisor to general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and was named director of player development in June 2021.

[relatedlinks]