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Kyle Ross-KeynoteUSA Sports
If there’s one thing their Game 6 loss to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference finals did, it’s add intrigue to the New York Rangers’ offseason.
All teams change from season to season. But when a team with Stanley Cup aspirations (and it was really boom or bust for this group that won 55 games and the Presidents Trophy) falls short of its ultimate goal, executives look internally at what went wrong and how to address those problems. mistakes.
Much has been written about this Rangers core group that has been together since the 2019-20 season. He is already on his third coach and it seems that the time has come for the players to look in the mirror.
Taking the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ approach and re-executing things is a foolish exercise, and one that Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury is unlikely to subscribe to.
So where do you start? Well, near the top with Captain Jacob Trouba.
Of all the “core” pieces on the roster, Trouba is the most likely and the easiest to move. There’s no doubt his value to the team is felt further away from the ice. Players and staff speak highly of the 30-year-old, who is responsible to the media and is a strong link between the room and the coaching staff. He won the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award this season and that means something. He is also a warrior on the ice and one of the few physical players the Rangers have.
But Trouba, who said he broke his ankle late in the season but played in all 16 Stanley Cup playoff games, is a player where both the numbers and the eye test match up, and, simply put, this postseason was difficult for Trouba.
He was on the ice for 17 of the 35 goals the Rangers allowed in the last two series against the Carolina Hurricanes and Panthers. The most lasting moment of his playoffs will surely be when he moves out of position to try to hit Evan Rodrigues, who didn’t have the puck, for Florida’s first goal in Game 6.
Trouba led all players with 11 penalties in the postseason. And while Trouba is nothing if not physical, many of these were desperation plays after being defeated, whether in the race or in a board battle. Speed was never his strong point, but it seems like the miles are starting to catch up with him.
The veteran finished the playoffs with the third pair alongside Erik Gustaffson. That move was probably equal parts Trouba’s shortcomings and Braden Schneider’s elevation of his game during the tournament. It’s written that Schneider’s time playing protected minutes with the bottom pair is over and that he is ready for a bigger role.
Translated, that means Trouba’s spot on the middle pairing with K’Andre Miller will soon be Schneider’s.
Related: Kaapo Kakko’s future with Rangers’ big offseason question
Rangers could trade or buy out Jacob Trouba this summer
Credit: Brad Penner-KeynoteUSA Sports
Trouba is entering the final two seasons of his contract that pays him $8 million annually. The difference now, however, is that his full no-movement clause becomes a modified no-trade clause. The blueliner can come up with a list of 15 teams he would block a trade to, leaving another 16 clubs Drury can work with. Of course, the Rangers would likely have to eat up some of his salary in any potential deal.
As stated, Trouba’s ceiling on this team now appears to be in the bottom pair. Find another Stanley Cup contender that will pay their third defenseman $8 million. Well wait.
Drury also has the option to buy Trouba at a quite acceptable figure. The club would save $4 million against the salary cap over the next two years before having $2 million in dead space the following two seasons. While not ideal, he is certainly not an anchor for the club, especially with the salary cap rising this summer and continuing to do so for years to come.
And listen, the Rangers need some extra money with a huge Igor Shesterkin contract extension on the horizon, and a replacement right-hander and Trouba among their needs.
It’s hard to deny Trouba’s role as a core member of the team. But after a third consecutive series exit in which his team was heavily outplayed, Drury should know it’s probably time to change the mix.
Keynote USA
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