COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A former Columbus Blue Jackets player who became the first in team history to have his jersey retired has been named the club's new director of hockey operations.
Rick Nash has been appointed to the role and will be involved in all aspects of the team's hockey operations department and will continue to oversee the development of players throughout the organization. The 40-year-old returned to the Blue Jackets as a special assistant to the general manager in June 2019 before being promoted to the club's director of player development in June 2021.
"[Nash] is very passionate about the Columbus Blue Jackets and this community and has been a great resource for me since I arrived here in late-May," said Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell. "Rick made a significant impact on this organization as a player and will continue to do so in his role as director of hockey operations."
Nash also served as the general manager for Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Championships in Czechia. He earned a silver medal as the club’s assistant general manager at the 2022 IIHF World Championships in Finland.
The Ontario native was selected by Columbus with the first overall pick at the 2002 NHL Draft and registered 437 goals and 368 assists for 805 points with 750 penalty minutes, 232 power play goals and 73 game-winners in 1,060 career games with the Blue Jackets, New York Rangers and Boston Bruins from 2002 to 2018.
He is the Columbus franchise leader in goals, assists and points as he registered 289-258-547 and 568 penalty minutes in 674 games from 2002 to 2012. The club's captain from 2008 to 2012, 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.
In addition, Zach Abdou has been hired as senior manager of hockey operations and Basil McRae will serve as director of pro scouting.
McRae originally joined the Blue Jackets as a scout for the 2013-14 season, spent three seasons as the club’s director of player personnel from 2016-19 and served as an assistant general manager during the past five seasons. Abdou joins the Blue Jackets after serving in various hockey operations roles with the Carolina Hurricanes since 2021, first as the club’s hockey operations coordinator and then as manager of hockey and business operations.
