Bruins Journal: Nash undecided about his future

BOSTON — Some of the drama surrounding Sunday’s opening of the Unrestricted Free Agent market evaporated on Thursday.

Winger Rick Nash, a pending UFA whom the Bruins acquired from the Rangers in a blockbuster trade on Feb. 25, has informed the B’s and other teams interested in signing him that he’s unsure if he’ll play next season. Nash’s agent, Joe Resnick, told several media outlets on Thursday that Nash, 34, would not accept [...]

BOSTON — Some of the drama surrounding Sunday’s opening of the Unrestricted Free Agent market evaporated on Thursday.

Winger Rick Nash, a pending UFA whom the Bruins acquired from the Rangers in a blockbuster trade on Feb. 25, has informed the B’s and other teams interested in signing him that he’s unsure if he’ll play next season. Nash’s agent, Joe Resnick, told several media outlets on Thursday that Nash, 34, would not accept offers when the market opens on July 1, but declined to confirm that Nash’s indecision stems from health concerns.

Nash, who cost the B’s center Ryan Spooner, winger Matt Beleskey, defense prospect Ryan Lindgren and their first-round choice in last weekend’s NHL draft (the Rangers packaged that pick, No. 26 overall, to move up to No. 23), has a concussion history over his 14-year NHL career that continued in Boston. Just 11 games (three goals, three assists) after joining the B’s , he sustained a concussion that kept him from playing the last 12 games of the regular season, although he returned to play all 12 playoff games, contributing three goals and two assists.

Bruins general manager Don Sweeney, who unsuccessfully pursued free agent winger Ilya Kovalchuk as a replacement for Nash (Kovalchuk, returning to the NHL after five seasons in the KHL, signed a three-year deal with the Kings) at last weekend’s NHL Draft in Dallas, said the B’s had continued to speak with Nash, but that Nash was committed to interviewing with other interested NHL teams before July 1.

Business is business

Olivier Galipeau, a Montreal native who could have attended the Canadiens’ Development Camp, had no problem turning down the invitation when a last-minute AHL contract offer came from the Bruins.

“I had a clear offer with (the Bruins), a sure deal, and I accepted it,” said Galipeau, a 21-year-old defenseman who scored 74 points over 67 games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season. “They wanted to work with me for a year and develop me. It’s a good way to start my pro career.”

Galipeau said he had just accepted the invitation from the Habs on Tuesday when the B’s presented their one-year offer, “so I had to cancel Montreal and come here.” He made it to Boston in time to participate in the second of two sessions of Development Camp on Wednesday.

Galipeau doesn’t know for sure if his hometown team is upset with him for accepting a better offer from an ancient, bitter rival.

“I don’t know, probably,” he said. “Maybe a little bit. But my agent said it was OK. I don’t know what they said, or how the conversation went.”