Rick Nash announced his retirement from the NHL on Friday due to "unresolved issues/symptoms from the concussions sustained last March."

Nash bypassed free agency on July 1 as he weighed his future in the league, but as TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports, interest remained high in the 34-year-old.

According to Dreger, the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins were among the teams who checked in with Nash over the past few months. All five teams currently occupy a playoff spot.

Nash was traded to the Bruins at the trade deadline last February for Ryan Spooner, Matt Beleskey, Ryan Lindgren, a 2018 first-round pick and a 2019 seventh-round pick. He sustained a concussion shortly after the trade and scored three goals and six points in 11 regular-season games. He also scored three goals and added two assists in 12 playoff games. 

Nash, who scored a total of 21 goals and tallied 13 assists over 71 games with the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins last season, was ranked seventh on TSN Hockey's top free agent list last June and had been drawing interest from at least five teams leading up to July 1.

The Brampton, Ont., native was drafted first overall by Columbus in 2002 and played 1,060 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets, New York Rangers and Boston Bruins, scoring 437 goals and tallying 805 points.