Canes Sign Riley Nash to Entry-Level Contract

The Coming Down the Pipe blog correctly predicted that former Cornell Big Red Star Riley Nash wouldn't be an Edmonton Oiler when Guy Flaming said, "Edmonton supporters might be best to prepare themselves for the possibility that Nash might never be seen wearing the orange and blue." That prediction was finally realized today when Nash decided to forgo his finally year of college eligibility to sign with the Hurricanes. Nash was traded to Carolina Hurricanes on June 26th, 2010. It also appears that Nash was ready to sign a professional contract if it wasn't the Edmonton Oilers.

RALEIGH, NC – Jason Karmanos, Vice President and Assistant General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has signed center Riley Nash to a three-year, entry-level contract. At the NHL level, the deal will pay Nash $550,000 in 2010-11, $600,000 in 2011-12, and $700,000 in 2012-13. He will be paid $65,000 on the AHL level in all three seasons, and receives a signing bonus of $262,500.

“Riley has excellent playmaking ability from the center position, and was a consistent point-producer at Cornell,” said Karmanos. “He'll have an opportunity during training camp to earn a spot on our NHL roster.”

Nash, 21, completed his third season at Cornell University in 2009-10, scoring 12 goals and earning 23 assists (35 points) in 30 games. The Consort, Alb., native led Cornell in assists, and ranked tied for second on the team in scoring. In three seasons with the Big Red, Nash (6’1”, 191 lbs.) has scored 37 goals and earned 65 assists (102 points) in 102 collegiate games. Originally selected by Edmonton in the first round, 21st overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Carolina acquired Nash on June 26, in exchange for Ottawa’s second-round pick, 46th overall, in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft

Check out this blog post from Copper and Blue. Just for the record I don't think Riley Nash is overrated, if anything the Hurricanes got him pretty cheap. I can also see why Oliers fans might be upset with Nash as well.

News today that reluctant would-never-have-been Oiler Riley Nash has signed with the Carolina Hurricanes with an extremely modest entry-level contract the team has actually released details of.

Well. It's good to know that he was totally staying in Cornell because he cares about school and because the Oilers were offering him an unfavourable contract. Because leaving school early to sign a typical second-round entry-level deal right after being traded would make him look like a bit of a tool.

Mind you, I also think Nash is hilariously overrated as a prospect, so I can be sarcastic. I think the Oilers were wrong to draft him and right to be rid of him.

Riley Nash to Boston?

Guy Flaming from the Pipe Line Show and Coming Down the Pipe blog has an interesting blog post on Cornell Big Red star forward and Edmonton Oilers first round draft choice Riley Nash. It appears that he COULD be heading to the Bruins. It has been speculated that Rilley Nash who says that he is in no hurry to sign a professional contract with the Oilers could be involved in a draft day trade. Personally I would like to see the Bruins offer Blake Wheeler for Riley Nash.

BOS, EDM & Riley Nash

I'm of the belief that something could happen between the Oilers and the Bruins on draft day. I'm skeptical that it would involve a NHL roster player like Blake Wheeler though just in order to convince the Oilers to pass on the guy the Bruins prefer. That seems like a big price to pay to me. If a deal is made, I won't be surprised if it was a pick or two, maybe a pick and a prospect, coming back to the Oilers instead.

Dean has learned that the two teams had talks earlier this season involving Riley Nash and Mikko Lehtonen. We're not sure if it was a 1-for-1 swap but after we both spoke with sources from teams in each conference, we know that Nash does have some value around the league. In this case we're led to believe that it was Edmonton that wouldn't green light the trade.

Might the Bruins still have an interest in Nash? Lehtonen, a 6'3 and 196 lbs right winger, led the Providence Bruins in scoring this year with 50 points, he had 53 the year before. The Finnish player was drafted by the Bruins in the 3rd round of 2005.

Speaking of Nash, fans speculated that Montréal might have an interest in him after they'd signed his brother to a deal in the spring. About a month ago I asked a scout from the Canadiens if he personally liked Nash in his draft year and was told "I sure did". (I mentally noted that that particular scout survived GM Pierre Gauthier's purge last week). Maybe the Oilers and Habs can work something out on draft day. Would Montréal's 2nd round pick, 57th overall, be too much, too little or just enough?
[Coming down the Pipe]