NY Rangers roster moves via waivers or trades are imminent

TARRYTOWN — The Rangers are taking their first step toward shaking up a struggling roster, and it starts with their captain.

Jacob Trouba did not skate with the team Friday morning and will not play against the Pittsburgh Penguins later in the day for “squad management reasons,” according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation who spoke to lohud.com, part of the United States TODAY Network, speaking on condition of anonymity.

It’s clear that the Rangers plan to move on from the 30-year-old defenseman who has been the focus of trade rumors since the summer, but it remains to be seen whether that will happen through a trade or by clearing him off waivers.

Meanwhile, the Blueshirts have recalled defenseman Victor Mancini from AHL Hartford to take his place in the lineup.

“I’m not really reacting to the news,” head coach Peter Laviolette said after skating Friday morning at the MSG Training Center. “There are things we do in here that I think can cause a reaction. But I have no reaction. There’s a game to be played tonight and that’s the direction we’re going.”

The likely scenario is that team president Chris Drury has identified potential trade targets and will try to give Trouba, who is on a 15-team no-trade list, a say in deciding where he lands. If the 6-foot, 220-pound player refuses, the Rangers can threaten to place him on waivers at 2 p.m., allowing any team to claim him.

“It’s part of the deal,” Trouba said last week when asked about the rumors. “I don’t know whether it’s real or not. My job is to play hockey. That’s what I’m focusing on.”

Trouba is in the final two years of a seven-year contract that pays him $8 million annually, with that high salary making any move even more complicated. A team taking over could rely on the Rangers retaining some of their average annual value to make it work. The Detroit Red Wings — Trouba’s hometown team from the state — are worth keeping an eye on, but according to PuckPedia, their cap space could be an issue with only about $2.4 million available.

The Rangers are willing to facilitate a deal to free up additional cap space of their own and cut ties with a player with whom things have become increasingly tense. His flagging performance hasn’t helped, as Trouba’s penchant for getting beat defensively and his declining foot speed are no longer offset by his big hits and valued leadership. According to Natural Stat Trick, he has averaged 2.95 goals against per 60 minutes over the last three seasons, which is the team’s worst among players who appeared in multiple seasons during that period, according to Natural Stat Trick.

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Of course, the problems go far beyond a single player. The sinking Rangers have lost six of their last seven games and are clinging to a wildcard spot by a point heading into Friday, but their captain is the first to fall on the sword.

“It’s not meant to be a message,” said Laviolette, who added that “(Drury) and I are thinking together about moving on from Trouba.” “I think everyone understands where we’ve been and how we’ve been in the last month have played. We can’t continue on this path or we’ll end up in the playoffs. The best thing is that we have to set a path that can get us back up the table.

Trouba made it clear that he preferred to remain in New York as trade talks heated up over the summer, which several league sources said scared off some teams. But Drury is now determined to finalize the divorce one way or another and No. 8 will likely have resigned to accept his fate.

“As far as I know, it’s a decision between the team and him,” said center Mika Zibanejad. “As a player, as a teammate, as a friend and as a person, we love him more than anything.”

How Trouba’s departure will play out in a locker room that has felt increasingly fragile of late is a matter of fate.

Chris Kreider, who was also contacted by Drury in recent weeks, admitted he was thinking about the situation but declined to comment.

“Not today,” he said. “We have to focus on winning a hockey game.”

Others recognized it as a potential distraction but expressed a desire to block it out.

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NY Rangers roster moves via waivers or trades are imminent

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