Former NHL star Rick Nash takes on new role for Team Canada at IIHF men's world hockey championship

Rick Nash was named the general manager of the Canadian National Hockey Team right before the upcoming IIHF Men's Hockey Tournament.

The former two-time Olympic gold medalist was named GM Tuesday by Hockey Canada for the tournament set to run from May 10 to 26 in Czechia, Prague.

The 39-year-old Brampton NHLer retired from the ice in 2019 as a player and became the director of player development for the Columbus Blue Jackets for three years leading up to now. He will now work with the Canadian national team heading towards the 2026 Olympics.

According to Chris Johnston who shared his opinion on X (formerly known as Twitter),

"Rick Nash has been named general manager of Canada's entry in the upcoming IIHF Men's World Hockey Championship."

He went on to add regarding Rick Nash's playing career and his contribution to the Canadian National Team as one of the most offensive players of his generation.

"Fitting for someone who answered the national team's call as a player on numerous occasions."

The Canadian National Team is coming off a gold medal in the 2023 IIFH Tournament held in Finland and Latvia. Heading into this year's tournament, the expectations would be high for the team.

Rick Nash's career in the NHL

Rick Nash played over 1,000 games in the NHL during his playing career, spanning across three different franchises.

Nash started his career with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2002 where he played for nine years before his famous move to the New York Rangers.

The Canadian was highly regarded during his time with the Rangers where he contributed 252 points for the franchise in the six years he spent with them.

In a rather short-term move, the veteran made his final big switch as he played for the Boston Bruins in what would eventually become his last season. Nash played 23 games for the Bruins and suffered a concussion in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning after a hit from Cedric Paquette.

On January 11, 2019, at age 34, due to unresolved symptoms from a concussion, Nash was forced to retire from professional hockey after playing 1,060 career games spanning over 15 seasons.

Rick Nash's contribution playing for Canada was never understated, as he won two Olympic Gold Medals and one IIHF World Championship for his nation.

Following his contribution to the Blue Jackets, the club decided to permanently retire the jersey no #61.