Rangers coach, GM ‘together on our thoughts’ about massive Jacob Trouba decision
New York Rangers coach Peter Laviolette and his boss, general manager Chris Drury, were of one accord on Friday – it’s time to part ways with captain Jacob Trouba.
Trouba, the 30-year-old defenseman who’s been New York’s captain since the start of the 2022-23 season, was absent from the morning skate and was traded to the Anaheim Ducks a few hours later for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Drury had tried to deal Trouba, whose $8 million AAV contract runs through 2025-26 season, last summer. However, Trouba reportedly blocked a deal with his 15-team no-trade clause so that his family could remain in New York, where his wife is completing her medical residency.
But on Friday, the trade went through, reuniting Trouba with former Rangers teammates Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano in Anaheim.
Both coach and GM felt it was a move that had to happen.
“Chris and I are together on our thoughts,” Laviolette said after the morning skate. When asked if Monday’s 5-1 home loss to the New Jersey Devils was Trouba’s last with the Rangers, the coach said simply, “He’s not in the lineup tonight.”
Laviolette made it clear that something had to be done to halt a slide that has seen the Rangers lose six of their past seven games, including the loss to the Devils.
“It’s not meant to be a message,” he said. “I think everybody’s understanding of where we’ve been for the last month and how we’ve played. We can’t continue down that road or we’ll find ourselves out of the playoffs.”
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Rangers coach says Jacob Trouba is ‘good person’ but move needed to be made
Trouba has played 364 regular-season games with the Rangers since he was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets in a trade on June 17, 2019. He has 136 points (31 goals, 105 assists) and 329 penalty minutes, and is plus-16. His best offensive season was 2021-22, when he was plus-25 and had 39 points, including an NHL career-high 11 goals.
In addition, Trouba was named the 2023-24 recipient of the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award and won the Rod Gilbert “Mr. Ranger” Award in 2022-23.
“I want to sincerely thank Jacob for his contributions to the Rangers and our community,” Drury said. “Jacob has been an example on and off the ice for our organization and played a major role in our success over the last several years. Since coming to New York five years ago, and serving as captain for the last three seasons, he has demonstrated grit, toughness, and tremendous leadership and we can’t thank Jacob enough for everything he has done for the Rangers.”
However, Trouba’s play has dropped off since the start of last season. He’s averaging 20:00 TOI, including a team-high 3:03 on the penalty kill, in 2024-25, playing with a variety of partners. His even-strength average ice time of 16:49 is third behind fellow defensemen K’Andre Miller (18:44) and Adam Fox (17:43). Trouba had six points, all assists, and was minus-3 in 24 games; however, the Rangers have been outscored 23-17 with Trouba on the ice at 5v5 and their xGF is 47.45 percent with him out there, as per Natural Stat Trick.
“He’s a good person, and a good player, and a good leader,” Laviolette said. “But … today, when it comes to addressing this effort, taking time coming out of that game (against the Devils) and thinking about it, this is the decision that I made.”
Trouba is the third consecutive Rangers captain to be traded. His predecessor, defenseman Ryan McDonagh, wore the “C” from 2014-15 through Feb. 26, 2018, when he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Forward Ryan Callahan was captain from 2011-12 until March 5, 2014, when he was also traded to the Lightning. Ironically, the last Rangers captain who wasn’t traded or released was Drury, who succeeded Jaromir Jagr in 2008-09 and retired in 2011 after missing most of the ’10-11 season with knee injuries.
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