The New York Rangers entered the 2024 NHL draft with Jacob Trouba as their legitimate captain. On the day free agency kicks off, everything points toward a break in the relationship.
Larry Brooks of the New York Post shared the initial report of the Rangers “working on a deal” on June 29. Brooks doubled down on that report on midnight July 1.
“Monday (July 1) is the day that Jacob Trouba’s no-move clause transforms to a 15-team no-trade list,” Brooks wrote on July 1. “Now the Rangers have leverage via the limited no-trade clause and have decided they can’t afford an $8M cap hit for a defenseman who is projected to be on the third pair. If Trouba does not approve a trade to Detroit that is believed in place, he will ultimately be sent somewhere else, perhaps by waivers.
“The decision has been made.”
Brooks describes a no-return situation brewing in New York with Rangers general manager Chris Drury determined to move on from the veteran blueliner and New York’s captain.
Will the Rangers Find A Way to Deal Jacob Trouba Away?
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman provided a worrying update regarding the trade “believed in place” between the Rangers and the Red Wings on Sunday, June 30.
“I’m going to admit this: I’m not sure what is going on here,” Friedman said. “I have people saying to me it was very real. The Rangers were trying to push it along. They thought if they could work out something with Detroit Trouba would be willing to go there.
“Then I had some people tell me on Saturday that it’s not close, ‘You guys are getting way ahead of yourselves and this is far, far more of a challenge than you think it’s going to be.'”
PuckPedia projects New York to have $13.6 million in cap space entering July 1. By trading Trouba they would save $8 million each of the next two seasons assuming no salary is retained.
That’s highly improbable, however, with New York most probably having to retain at least a portion of Trouba’s cap hit. Brooks reported a $2.5 million-per-season retention when discussing the framework of the initial trade between the Wings and the Rangers.
New York’s trade of Trouba to Detroit would open $5.5 million in cap space.
According to Friedman’s report, however, Trouba could make a “strategic” move. That’d mean including Detroit in his 15-team no-trade list to block such a trade.
“What one other agent told me was, when Trouba submits his (no-trade) list, will he make it strategic?” Friedman reported. “Will he make it strategic so that places the Rangers might actually be able to trade him to would be blocked?”
Could the Rangers Realistically Waive Jacob Trouba?
In Brooks’ eyes, the Rangers have decided to move on from Trouba one way (trade) or another (buyout). If that’s true, then New York could have to waive Trouba’s contract.
“If Trouba does not approve a trade to Detroit that is believed in place, he will ultimately be sent somewhere else, perhaps by waivers. The decision has been made,” Brooks wrote.
If the Rangers decide to cut Trouba, they would create some cap room for this and next season. New York would add $4 million worth of space in 2024-25 and 2025-26. The franchise, however, would endure dead-cap penalties of $2 million the two seasons after that. The buyout would expand Trouba’s “contract” for double his remaining time (two years turned into four).
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Rangers & Jacob Trouba’s Future: ‘Decision Has Been Made’