Battle Of Hudson

Fireworks are on deck for the 4th of July. On a beautiful summer day in the Big Apple, barbecues and celebrations are being planned for Independence Day.  Hopefully, the thunderstorms won’t get in the way of tomorrow night’s festivities.

While it’s nice to think about what makes our country great, there’s the delicate nature that the Rangers face with Jacob Trouba. It’s one that was created by both Chris Drury and polarizing NY Post columnist Larry Brooks.

If you’re an interested party due to supporting the team, even if you don’t want Trouba back, the villains are Drury and Brooks. It’s pretty much known that the organization leaks stuff to Brooks. He then does their bidding for them. What a pathetic way to do things.

For his part, Trouba has every right to want to stay. However, he no longer possesses a full no-movement clause. When July 1 hit this past Monday, it became a moderated no-trade clause that is supposed to include his 15-team list. Only Trouba and Drury know the specifics. 

Trouba is a man of principles. When he asked to be traded out of Winnipeg to New York, it was due to then fiancée Kelly Tyson’s desire to become a doctor. Now married with their first child, Dr. Tyson-Trouba has a three-year residency at a New York hospital.

Originally, it was supposed to be completed this year, which would’ve coincided with Trouba’s no-movement clause expiring. Instead, her residency got pushed back to next year, complicating matters. The situation explains why Trouba would prefer to stay. He supports his wife and considers her an equal. That shouldn’t be criticized.

For his part, Brooks detailed the circumstances surrounding the Trouba family in a column on Monday.

When Trouba signed this current seven-year, $56M contract in July of 2019 after having been acquired as a pending restricted free agent from Winnipeg, his five-year no-movement clause was designed to expire in conjunction with his wife Kelly Tyson-Trouba’s completion of her three-year residency at a New York hospital.

But Dr. Tyson-Trouba’s residency was deferred for a year at the start so that the program which she is required to complete will end instead on July 1, 2025. The Troubas also welcomed their first child, a boy named Axel, in mid-January.

There is no guarantee that Jacob Trouba would accept a trade even to a club on his approved list if that means leaving his wife and nine-month-old (as of training camp) behind. It is not as if Dr. Tyson-Trouba can pick up, transfer her credits to another hospital, accompany her husband and still be licensed as a physician.

We are told that has become part of the league-wide conversation, with several teams that otherwise would have been in big-time on Trouba now likely to wait until next year when Dr. Tyson-Trouba’s residency ends with the defenseman having one final season on his contract.

Brooks went on to indicate that the communication between Trouba and Drury had been professional. However, how does that explain the previous column he wrote that mentioned the possibility of the Rangers wanting Trouba’s 15-team no-trade list last weekend so they could possibly move him? It reeks of hypocrisy by a veteran journalist who gets more things wrong these days. Patrick Kane was coming back. Oh, wait.

It feels like the organization tried to railroad Trouba. After having pulled similar tactics to offload Barclay Goodrow by placing him on waivers so the Sharks could claim him to get around his no-trade list, it looks like the Rangers were desperate to get rid of Trouba due to the $8 million cap hit that has two years remaining. While understandable, there’s a better way to do things. Especially with the captain being shocked to find out the way he did.

It isn’t like Trouba was the only player who struggled in the Rangers’ loss to the eventual champion Panthers. It’s all been documented before. Rinse. Repeat. Some of the team’s best players had a tough time. They weren’t as hobbled as the captain. Of course, he made no excuses afterward. If you play hurt, it doesn’t matter. Ryan Lindgren did. He, too, showed wear and tear.

At 30, Trouba isn’t the same player that he was a couple of years ago. If you play that grinding style by hitting and blocking shots, it has an effect over the long haul. Lindgren is four years younger. He’s shown signs of slowing down. That’s why the Rangers should be hesitant not to commit more than four years on his next contract. We’ll see how that goes.

If he remains a Ranger, Trouba’s likely to become a third pair defenseman who still kills penalties. That’s a lot to pay for a declining player. The Oilers could face a similar circumstance with Darnell Nurse, whose cap hit is $9.25 million with still four years remaining. That’s the risk teams take when they hand out these long-term contracts.

There have been some irrational takes on social media from fans who are frustrated with the Rangers’ current situation. Harassing Trouba and his wife are uncalled for. If you want to place a finger at someone, point it at Drury. Once highly thought of by the hockey world as an executive, his reputation is tarnished. If the Rangers fail to win a championship next year, Drury’s head will roll. He’ll find it difficult to get another job as a general manager of a hockey club.

This was an actual suggestion by the well liked Stan Fischler. It’s probably one of the worst ideas.

It’s disrespectful to take away the captaincy. Trouba is well-respected in the locker room. He’s always laid it on the line for the Blueshirts. Unfortunately, the same fan base that chanted, “Trou” after one of his big hits can turn on a player faster than Benedict Arnold. That’s the world we live in now. Full of experts based on analytics and charts.

The human side isn’t seen. It should be. Considering how things have gone this week, it’s highly likely that Trouba will remain a Ranger next fall. A lot of the haters will see red. Unlike the team, who will move on from this mess.

In the end, it’ll be business as usual. With the Rangers making minor additions. They signed Casey Fitzgerald and Bo Groulx yesterday.

The business side means turning their attention to Lindgren. Hard negotiations are ahead. He previously made $3 million and was qualified at $3.65 million. Obviously, that number will increase. It could reach as high as $5 million. If they were to go to arbitration, the Rangers would come in much lower. Usually, the two sides get together and find a middle ground. The sticky point will be the contract length.

Braden Schneider doesn’t have much leverage. He’ll want more than the bridge deal that’ll be offered. Given the Rangers’ cap situation, they’ll probably make Schneider earn it. They’re not in the position to invest long-term on a player who only started to play on the second pair.

At the present, it looks like the roster could look similar to last season. Perhaps an opportunity awaits Brennan Othmann or Brett Berard. Will Cuylle deserves to get a better look. Zac Jones likely will finally get his chance.

Maybe something good can come out of this. A lot of teams went bonkers on players. If a younger player can fill a role that a veteran would’ve taken, that could bode well for both the present and future.

Regardless of who won in free agency, there are no trophies awarded during the summer. That still must be earned. The Rangers should still be a good team. Whether rivals have caught up to them remains to be seen.

It’s time to move on.