Rick Nash given big promotion by the Columbus Blue Jackets

Former NHLer Rick Nash has been given a big promotion by the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.

Rick Nash is a legend in the city of Columbus, where he called home for nine of his 15 seasons in the National Hockey League, four of which he spent as the Blue Jackets' captain.

One year after he retired, Nash returned to Columbus as an Assistant to the General Manager, a role he held for two years before taking over as Director of Player Development. But now, Nash has landed another promotion to an even bigger role.

On Friday, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced that they've promoted Rick Nash to Director of Hockey Operations effectively immediately. The Blue Jackets say that he'll be involved in all parts of the Hockey Operations department and will continue some aspects of his previous role, including overseeing development and advancement of players within their system.

'Rick Nash is an extremely bright guy who has become an important part of our hockey operations leadership group,' said Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell. 'He 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. 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.'

Along with his role with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Rick Nash has also been working for Hockey Canada in recent years, serving as General Manager of their team at the 2024 IIHF World Hockey Championship back in May.

It seems inevitable that one day, whether it be with the Columbus Blue Jackets or another team in the National Hockey League, that Rick Nash will become a General Manager, which is a role he said he wants to have in the future.