On Tuesday afternoon, Hockey Canada announced that Columbus Blue Jackets director of player development Rick Nash has been named as their general manager for the upcoming IIHF World Championship in Czechia. The tournament will take place May 10 through 26, with Canada’s first game coming on May 11 against Great Britain.
Nash a Fast-Rising Executive With Hockey Canada Ties
Nash previously served as an assistant general manager with Hockey Canada’s World Championship team in 2022 when they won the silver medal, losing to host nation Finland 4-3 in the gold-medal game. However, he also represented his country as a player on multiple occasions. He won a World Championship gold medal at the 2007 tournament in Moscow, Russia, and was also named the tournament’s most valuable player, recording 11 points in nine games.
Nash was also a two-time Olympic gold medalist; he was a part of the 2010 team when Sidney Crosby scored his famous “Golden Goal” to win 3-2 over the Americans in Vancouver. He won his second gold as part of the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi.
Related: Blue Jackets Turn Attention to More Individual Evaluations
Nash started his managerial career during the 2019-20 season when he was named special assistant to then-Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen. He was in that role for two seasons before getting promoted to his current position, director of player development, for the 2021-22 season. The Blue Jackets organization has had quite a few executives making an impact on the NHL in recent seasons, as former assistant general manager Chris MacFarland is currently at the helm of the 2022 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche, while Bill Zito, who had the same role in Columbus as MacFarland for six seasons, is general manager of last year’s runner up, the Florida Panthers.
Nash still has a lot of work ahead of him to reach the status of those two, but at 39 years old, the appointment at Hockey Canada will certainly help build his resumé.