The clock is ticking for the New York Rangers’ core group of players, as trade rumors continue to swirl around captain Jacob Trouba. Despite the speculation, Trouba remains with the team, but he acknowledged the urgency to achieve success.
“In all likelihood, this will probably be the last crack for this core,” Trouba stated, as reported by The Athletic. “I don’t think it’s a secret by any means.”
The Rangers’ veteran core includes Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Vincent Trocheck, all of whom are over 30 years old. Rumors of Trouba being traded to the Detroit Red Wings surfaced in June, with Larry Brooks of the New York Post reporting that a deal was close but ultimately fell through. Trouba is signed through next season with a cap hit of $8 million, and his no-movement clause changed to a 15-team no-trade clause on July 1.
“When you’re going through stuff like that, you have to find out where they came from. If you find out, let me know,” Trouba said regarding the offseason rumors.
Head coach Peter Laviolette confirmed he was not part of any off-season discussions about Trouba but praised the defenseman’s leadership.
“I think you need really good leadership inside the room. I thought Jacob was a really good captain for us last year,” Laviolette commented.
Despite dealing with a broken ankle in March, which caused him to miss 11 games, Trouba had a solid season, posting three goals and 22 points in 69 games. His performance in the playoffs included one goal and six assists in 16 games, although his health status during that time remains a mystery.
Drafted ninth overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 2012, Trouba has accumulated 73 goals and 309 points in 748 career games split between the Jets and the Rangers. With the window closing on the current Rangers core, the pressure is on for Trouba and his teammates to make the most of their remaining opportunities for success.
