Once again, the New York Rangers fell short of achieving hockey’s top prize. After clinching the President’s Trophy with a franchise-record 114 points and dominating the playoffs with seven consecutive victories and a 2-1 series lead against the Florida Panthers, the blue and white were eliminated in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in three years.
With the Blueshirts’ season over, speculation began to arise about potential significant roster changes that president and general manager Chris Drury might pursue this offseason. One of the most talked-about rumors involved a possible trade of captain Jacob Trouba.
The Rangers nearly traded away team captain Jacob Trouba this summer
Rangers fans saw Trouba as a key factor in the team’s playoff elimination. However, it came to light that the 30-year-old was playing with a broken ankle, which caused a significant portion of it to break off.
Despite this, Trouba’s lackluster performance, coupled with his substantial $ 8 million annual cap hit and the Rangers’ need for cap flexibility, led many to believe he might be traded.
Nevertheless, Trouba’s no-trade clause and the limited number of teams willing to absorb his high cap hit have so far prevented a trade. Now, the Rangers captain has finally spoken out about the trade speculation.
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Despite speculation that Trouba was unhappy about the trade rumors, the 30-year-old clarified his feelings in a recent interview with The Athletic.
“It was fine,” Trouba said. “It’s part of the business. I knew that part of my contract turned this year (to a no-trade list), and I submitted a list. That’s what I did. All the other noise was pretty much noise. I’m happy to be here. I’m excited to go into the season. Great opportunity ahead of us.”
With no trade happening, many have wondered about the state of the relationship between Drury and Trouba, but the Michigan native asserted that there is no tension between them.
“Yeah, they’ve been fantastic throughout,” Trouba stated. “Going back years, Dru and I have always had a strong relationship. We can talk whenever we need to. I believe he has a lot of trust in me, and I appreciate that. We’re looking forward to kicking off this year.”
Only time will reveal Trouba’s future, but for now, everything suggests that he will be wearing a Ranger uniform on opening night, leaving the trade rumors in the past.
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