Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 594: Featuring Rick Nash

Date: November 7, 2025
Hosts: Ryan Whitney, Paul “Biz Nasty” Bissonnette, Rear Admiral (RA), Keith Yandle, Mike Grinnell
Guest: Rick Nash (Retired NHL All-Star, Columbus Blue Jackets Director of Hockey Ops)

Episode Overview

This episode brings NHL legend Rick Nash to the Chiclets crew for a candid, insightful conversation spanning his hockey journey from Brampton to the NHL, Olympic gold, and his current front office role. The group also dives deep into hot NHL storylines, legendary milestones like Ovechkin’s 900th goal, blown leads, Hall of Fame talk, and gives their unique banter and opinions on teams, players, and life around the rink.

Key Discussion Points

1. Opening Banter & Introductions (01:05–13:00)

• The crew celebrates landing Rick Nash as a guest, with Keith Yandle calling him one of his all-time favorite teammates.
• The guys share memories, locker room dynamics, and discuss personality types and humor in NHL rooms.
• Notable Quote:
  "I think people who think they're boring because they don't have crazy stories don't understand how much people want to hear about their careers, especially a guy like him."
  —Biz Nasty (02:57)

2. NHL Hot Topics & Recent Games

a. Leafs & Oilers’ Blown Leads (06:03–11:27)

• Biz and Yancey trade jabs about blown multi-goal leads, specifically Toronto and Edmonton.
• Discussion on team overreactions, fan Twitter, and slow starts.

b. Ovechkin’s 900th Goal (13:02–17:31)

• Celebration of Ovi’s milestone and the famed goal’s “Ovi-esque” style.
• Jokes about his notorious “hockey diet.”
• Notable Quote:
  "If you played 20 years in the NHL with 20 forty-goal seasons, you’d still be 100 away from Ovi."
  —Yancey (14:40)

c. St. Louis Blues’ Struggles & Roster Decisions (18:54–26:00)

• Concern over Jake Bennington’s status, defensive play, and healthy scratching of Kyrou.
• Riffs about players' emotional investment and trade rumors.

d. Rangers’ Offensive Woes & Rebuild Talk (28:13–32:36)

• Rangers struggling to score at home.
• Debates about the possibility of a rebuild and trade candidates.
• Humorous speculation about superstitions (team-wide shaved heads) for luck.

e. Montreal & Anaheim Young Guns (33:36–37:54)

• Zegras’s shootout dominance for Philly, Demidov’s offensive explosion in Montreal.
• Cutter Gauthier’s hat trick in Anaheim, discussions on his Olympic team chances.

3. Interview: Rick Nash (55:08–107:03)

a. Early Years & Coming Up (56:08–62:02)

• Nash recounts his love for hockey from childhood; the importance of self-driven passion.
• Anecdotes of youth tournaments, the Redline Report, and personal motivation.

b. Junior to Pro Transition (64:13–69:23)

• Experiences joining London Knights as a 16-year-old; adapting to leaving home.
• On being the 1st overall pick and joining a fledgling Columbus market.

c. Nash’s NHL Arrival & Columbus Years (72:38–87:21)

• Navigating the new hockey market in Columbus: “growing the game” and community outreach.
• The thrill and challenges of being a young face of a franchise.
• Early teammates, he mentions Ray Whitney and Andrew Cassels as mentors.

d. Evolving as a Player—Coaching Influence (79:22–81:12)

• Candid about needing to learn the defensive game:
  • "Hitch grabbed me in Denver and said, 'Do you want to be a great goal scorer or a great player?'”
  • Credits Ken Hitchcock with rounding out his game (PK, shutdown roles).

e. Olympics & Gold Medals (88:56–92:47)

• Vivid memories from Team Canada ('06, '10, '14) and Vancouver’s home-ice gold:
  • "I don't know what would have happened if we didn’t win anything other than gold in Vancouver."

f. New York Rangers Chapter (92:47–96:12)

• The culture shock of leaving Columbus for MSG and Original Six atmosphere.
• Heaps praise on Yandle as a world-class teammate:
  • "He is truly one of the best teammates I’ve ever played with, one of the funniest..." (93:08)

g. Retirement: Concussions & Life After (97:29–99:05)

• Open about the cumulative effect of concussions.
• Decision process: “I was cleared to play, but I just thought, after 15-16 years and a young family… how bad is the next one going to be?”

h. All-Time Great Nash Goals & Legacy (99:05–101:59)

• Nostalgic for his iconic goal against Coyotes with 20 seconds left:
  • “It was such a basic inside-out move, I couldn’t believe it worked the first and second time.”
• On teammates: Fedorov (“amazing”), Nash also singles out some under-the-radar “most skilled” players.

i. Columbus Blue Jackets Today & Family (102:08–103:37)

• Role in player development, NCAA scouting, and being an engaged “hockey dad.”
• Touching remarks on the late Matiss Kivlenieks’ legacy and Columbus’s family atmosphere.

4. Hockey Hall of Fame & Current NHL Talk (108:47–122:14)

• Nash’s Hall of Fame candidacy debated; Tavares’ 500+ goals discussed for Hall credentials.
• Shout outs to legends: Zdeno Chara, Duncan Keith, Mogilny, Joe Thornton, and the induction of several key women in hockey.
• Notable Quote:
  "I can't believe Don Cherry's not in the Hall of Fame. What are we doing here?"
  —Biz Nasty (148:51)

5. Pop Culture: Mount Rushmore of TV Shows (131:56–146:49)

• RA gives his TV Hall of Fame:
  • The Wire (133:46),
  • The Sopranos (135:27),
  • Cheers (140:33),
  • Breaking Bad (142:48).

6. Closing: AHL Hall of Fame, RA’s Picks, and Final Notes (151:08–end)

• Shoutout: Chris Bourque’s AHL Hall of Fame induction, described as possibly the best high school player in MA history.
• RA’s betting picks for NHL and NFL.
• Reminder of breast cancer awareness merch drive.
• End of episode thanks and appreciation to listeners, Rick Nash, and the whole crew.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Biz Nasty, on Ovechkin’s 900th: "Just put that on the quote card: This is fucking fucked." (15:37)
• Keith Yandle, on 900 goals: "If you added up all my practices, pregame skates, games…I don’t think I’m even close to 900 goals." (14:10)
• Rick Nash, on leadership: "Check your ego at the door. It doesn’t matter if you’re the best goal scorer—you're going to have to do whatever it takes, whatever we ask you to do to win a gold medal." (91:06)
• On Nash's iconic Coyotes goal: “It was amazing how it worked out…such a basic inside out move that I couldn’t believe it worked the first time, and then it worked the second…” (99:27)
• On Ken Hitchcock’s coaching: “He grabbed me getting off the plane and said, 'Do you want to be a great goal scorer or a great player in this league?'” (79:24)
• On Hank Lundqvist as a teammate: "He’d be pissed off at you if you scored on him at practice… there’s a reason why he’s in the Hall of Fame.” (97:09)
• On transitioning to a non-star role at Olympics: “In Sochi, I wasn’t used in an offensive motor, even on the power play. I was used in a defensive role and PK.” (81:12)
• Post-retirement perspective: “I wanted to be able to throw a ball with the kids, coach both their teams now.” (98:42)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro, banter, Rick Nash arrival: 02:29–03:58
• Ovechkin’s 900th goal: 13:02–17:31
• Bennington, Blues talk: 18:54–26:00
• Rangers’ struggles & rebuild?: 28:13–32:36
• Montreal & Anaheim prospects: 33:36–37:54
• Interview: Rick Nash full: 55:08–107:03
• Nash on growing up, juniors: 56:08–69:23
• Olympics/Team Canada: 88:56–92:47
• Retirement & concussions: 97:29–99:05
• Iconic goal & legacy: 99:05–101:59
• On Nash’s Hall of Fame case/JT's 500: 108:47–112:07
• Hall of Fame classes, stories: 121:11–131:07
• RA’s Mount Rushmore TV: 131:56–146:49
• RA’s picks & closing awards: 148:49–153:44

Summary by Tone

Throughout, the episode is irreverent and funny with honest, at times vulnerable, reflections on hockey’s pressures, locker room chemistry, and off-ice life. Rick Nash is modest, earnest, and insightful, with the Chiclets crew mixing deep hockey knowledge with their signature banter, hyperbole, and inside jokes.

For Listeners

This episode delivers on all fronts—hockey nostalgia, X’s and O’s, wild stories (and celebrations), and sharp insights from one of modern hockey’s elite, Rick Nash. Whether you’re an old-school fan or a younger junkie, the episode’s blend of NHL takes, old stories, and offbeat humor make it worth the download—especially for those who appreciate the human stories behind hockey greatness.