Rumor: "Decision has been made" to trade or waive Trouba - Larry Brooks

[MVP Zacha]

For the reigning Messier Award winner, team Captain to be placed on waivers has got to feel like an elbow to the face.

 

[lanceuppercut75]

So the Rangers can put him on waivers and another team can pick him up? That's what you are saying? He is eligible for that type of movement?

Yep.

Cap space is valuable in the NHL though, and Trouba isn't worth $8.0 million dollars per year in cap space. Unless a team can send a (cheaper) overpaid contract back in a trade, Trouba and his contract have essentially less than zero value. Negative value. He just takes up too much space from the team's total cap compared to what he brings to the team. Having a player overpaid by multiple millions of dollars makes it hard to build a winning team.

For that reason, it would be very very unlikely that another team would pick Trouba up on waivers. You gotta try to avoid adding overpaid contracts like it's the plague. What you COULD see is an overpaid guy like Holl on Detroit (2 years at $3.4 million cap hit) get traded for Trouba, and maybe NYR retaining a bit of Trouba's contract too. That way DET is moving out somebody overpaid to bring in somebody else who's overpaid. It's more likely that a team would want to bring in Trouba in a scenario like that.

 

[Sdevils42]

I don’t like LB, but he’s been involved in the NHL for over 4 decades. He 100% most definitely has sources, whether you like it or not.

Fair and I suppose he is a "respected" beat reporter. But from day one it seemed like this Trouba is valuable and wanted around the league narrative was being pressed from Rangers media sources.

 

[BHawk21]

But what team would pick Trouba off the waiver wire at $8M salary with 2 years remaining?

I get that NY is threatening to do this, but in reality, who would claim him off waivers?

NY can threaten to waive him all they want, but if nobody claims him, they are still stuck with him, no?

San Jose Buffalo or Chicago? Maybe Detroit or Nashville?

 

[absolute garbage]

But what team would pick Trouba off the waiver wire at $8M salary with 2 years remaining?

I get that NY is threatening to do this, but in reality, who would claim him off waivers?

NY can threaten to waive him all they want, but if nobody claims him, they are still stuck with him, no?

I could see few rebuilding young teams with a lot of cap space and open spots on the blueline interested in his off ice and on ice leadership/presence.

 

[Chainshot]

If only the league was still running the Coyotes, this would be perfect for them to step in to help another franchise yet again.

 

[67 others]

i wouldn't be sure somebody claims him at full value. in a trade you can negotiate for retention or send a contract back. a waiver claim means you get his full cap hit on the books.

The Sharks right D is currently Jan Rutta and Matt Bennings and we have 30 million in capspace

 

[TCNorthstars]

Normally I'd assume that nobody would. But since this tends to be tinfoil hat season, I wonder if this was part of the future considerations in the Walman deal all along:

* Sharks claim Trouba
* Sharks trade Trouba to Detroit for Holl

The Wings would then only be taking on $4.6M AAV.

I dunno. It's a weird situation with Trouba, no matter how it all plays out.

Think he would drop the Wings off of his NTC list at that point?

 

[67 others]

Normally I'd assume that nobody would. But since this tends to be tinfoil hat season, I wonder if this was part of the future considerations in the Walman deal all along:

* Sharks claim Trouba
* Sharks trade Trouba to Detroit for Holl

The Wings would then only be taking on $4.6M AAV.

I dunno. It's a weird situation with Trouba, no matter how it all plays out.

Yzerman flat out came out and said moving money is near impossible right now and he was trying hard but had to send the 2nd.

If San jose grabs Trouba, odds are they would keep him.

 

[lakeshirts37]

I’m basing of his reporting on the fact that he has no insiders and nothing close to a shred of truth on the trouba situation has been said. It’s all speculation to garner clicks.

thats just not true at all lol

 

[TGWL]

If Rangers pull another move like the Goodrow, they're going to find themselves having to give out NMC to anybody worth signing. I mean, they already hand them out like candy, but it'll get worse.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

i wouldn't be sure somebody claims him at full value. in a trade you can negotiate for retention or send a contract back. a waiver claim means you get his full cap hit on the books.

I’m not certain but I’m pretty confident the Sharks would claim him at full value. He improves their team and gives them a chance to rent him at 50% at the trade deadline in 2026.

 

[TGWL]

Who on the Rangers gets elbowed first?

Nobody because they don't attack defenders.

 

[NoelVilla]

Hope nobody claims him if put on waivers. Don't believe it will happen.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I wonder if his new no trade list will just be Canadian teams + some further away American teams, or if he'll just hope to stay on the east coast.

Knowing him he'll probably just cry where ever he goes.

 

[Ruggs225]

Yep.

Cap space is valuable in the NHL though, and Trouba isn't worth $8.0 million dollars per year in cap space. Unless a team can send a (cheaper) overpaid contract back in a trade, Trouba and his contract have essentially less than zero value. Negative value. He just takes up too much space from the team's total cap compared to what he brings to the team. Having a player overpaid by multiple millions of dollars makes it hard to build a winning team.

For that reason, it would be very very unlikely that another team would pick Trouba up on waivers. You gotta try to avoid adding overpaid contracts like it's the plague. What you COULD see is an overpaid guy like Holl on Detroit (2 years at $3.4 million cap hit) get traded for Trouba, and maybe NYR retaining a bit of Trouba's contract too. That way DET is moving out somebody overpaid to bring in somebody else who's overpaid. It's more likely that a team would want to bring in Trouba in a scenario like that.

But trouba could help a team massively if they are looking to tear down and rebuild.

A) he will help get to cap floor
B) he sucks and will help you lose

he is the ultimate help for a tear down team.

 

[FMichael]

Wonder who he elbows on the way out.

Larry Brooks

 

[lanceuppercut75]

But trouba could help a team massively if they are looking to tear down and rebuild.

A) he will help get to cap floor
B) he sucks and will help you lose

he is the ultimate help for a tear down team.

Who is looking to tear down right now and rebuild? I looked into it and the number of options are surprisingly low. San Jose and mayyybe Anaheim. Calgary in theory but I doubt it.

OTTAWA - mayyyybe should be but I don't think will. Either way, they have guys like Chabot and Norris who arguably make too much money and help with the cap floor. Unless they're planning to move Tkachuk, Zub, etc out, they wouldn't need a guy like Trouba. They just traded a 1st rounder out to get 1 year of Ullmark, so I think we can safely rule them out.

COLUMBUS - they may try to tear things down half-way and keep the other half, but a decent amount of their guys are young, and they don't have a lot of roster room to add anybody without moving guys out first. Overpaid guys like Laine Gudbranson Merzlikins are there. Medium to big money guys that aren't young anymore like Jenner and Severson are there too. Trouba isn't needed for cap reason, and in fact, they don't have the cap room to add him.

N.Y. ISLANDERS - SHOULD maybe tear things down, or tear them down halfway, but likely will not do so. Especially with Lou still in charge. If they decided to tear down partially, they would look to move out guys like Lee Horvat Nelson Pelech Pulock before they considered bringing in a Trouba type contract. This won't happen, and if it does, not in 2024.

PHILADELPHIA - it looks like they might do some sort of half-teardown / re-tool, but they already have guys like Ristolainen, Johansen, Petersen that are overpaid and help with cap floor. They also have guys they would move out first before doing a Trouba type cap waste... Couturier perhaps, Konecny, Laughton, Sanheim, Seeler. Trouba just isn't a fit right now.

PITTSBURGH - may do some half-teardown / re-tool stuff, but nothing drastic until Crosby retires.

WASHINGTON - may do some half-teardown / re-tool stuff, but nothing drastic until Ovi retires.

CHICAGO - As of this summer, I'd say they're no longer tearing down. They're going to start to build back up now. They'll probably trade some older top 9 forwards at the 2025 and 2026 trade deadline, but only for asset maximization purposes and to make room for kids coming up.

NASHVILLE - This is a team that would maybe make sense, but it seems like Nashville is looking at Carrier (and Skjei maybe?) instead. They have a lot of money tied up in buyouts until 2026, and their blueline looks filled out enough that Trouba isn't needed.

UTAH - They just added Sergachev and Marino. They have Marino Durzi Kesselring Soderstrom at RHD. It looks like the opportunity to explore moving Trouba to Utah this summer has already passed by, most likely

ANAHEIM - This can actually maybe work if NYR are taking some salary back. Maybe a three way trade, with John Gibson going for Trouba, but then NYR moving Gibson to a third team? Sounds complicated but theoretically, there could be something there.

CALGARY - The cap room isn't there and Calgary has enough RHD. If Rasmus Andersson is moved and NYR takes back some salary (Kadri? Coleman?) then it's theoretically workable. I don't really see a fit though. Calgary doesn't need help to reach the cap floor, and NYR don't want Kadri or Coleman most likely.

SAN JOSE - This can work. Get it done.

 

[DEANYOUNGBLOOD17]

Wonder who he elbows on the way out.

My $ is on Blake Wheeler

“ Hey you get off of my cloud”

 

[SI90]

The Trouba Train leaving Penn station for good lmao

 

[67 others]

Who is looking to tear down right now and rebuild? I looked into it and the number of options are surprisingly low. San Jose and mayyybe Anaheim. Calgary in theory but I doubt it.

OTTAWA - mayyyybe should be but I don't think will. Either way, they have guys like Chabot and Norris who arguably make too much money and help with the cap floor. Unless they're planning to move Tkachuk, Zub, etc out, they wouldn't need a guy like Trouba. They just traded a 1st rounder out to get 1 year of Ullmark, so I think we can safely rule them out.

COLUMBUS - they may try to tear things down half-way and keep the other half, but a decent amount of their guys are young, and they don't have a lot of roster room to add anybody without moving guys out first. Overpaid guys like Laine Gudbranson Merzlikins are there. Medium to big money guys that aren't young anymore like Jenner and Severson are there too. Trouba isn't needed for cap reason, and in fact, they don't have the cap room to add him.

N.Y. ISLANDERS - SHOULD maybe tear things down, or tear them down halfway, but likely will not do so. Especially with Lou still in charge. If they decided to tear down partially, they would look to move out guys like Lee Horvat Nelson Pelech Pulock before they considered bringing in a Trouba type contract. This won't happen, and if it does, not in 2024.

PHILADELPHIA - it looks like they might do some sort of half-teardown / re-tool, but they already have guys like Ristolainen, Johansen, Petersen that are overpaid and help with cap floor. They also have guys they would move out first before doing a Trouba type cap waste... Couturier perhaps, Konecny, Laughton, Sanheim, Seeler. Trouba just isn't a fit right now.

PITTSBURGH - may do some half-teardown / re-tool stuff, but nothing drastic until Crosby retires.

WASHINGTON - may do some half-teardown / re-tool stuff, but nothing drastic until Ovi retires.

CHICAGO - As of this summer, I'd say they're no longer tearing down. They're going to start to build back up now. They'll probably trade some older top 9 forwards at the 2025 and 2026 trade deadline, but only for asset maximization purposes and to make room for kids coming up.

NASHVILLE - This is a team that would maybe make sense, but it seems like Nashville is looking at Carrier (and Skjei maybe?) instead. They have a lot of money tied up in buyouts until 2026, and their blueline looks filled out enough that Trouba isn't needed.

UTAH - They just added Sergachev and Marino. They have Marino Durzi Kesselring Soderstrom at RHD. It looks like the opportunity to explore moving Trouba to Utah this summer has already passed by, most likely

ANAHEIM - This can actually maybe work if NYR are taking some salary back. Maybe a three way trade, with John Gibson going for Trouba, but then NYR moving Gibson to a third team? Sounds complicated but theoretically, there could be something there.

CALGARY - The cap room isn't there and Calgary has enough RHD. If Rasmus Andersson is moved and NYR takes back some salary (Kadri? Coleman?) then it's theoretically workable. I don't really see a fit though. Calgary doesn't need help to reach the cap floor, and NYR don't want Kadri or Coleman most likely.

SAN JOSE - This can work. Get it done.

Getting him to San Jose with no retention would be as simple as waiving him.

Sharks would grab him in heartbeat

 

[Thechozen1]

Seem like a perfect fit for the Flyers.

 

[WarriorofTime]

My prediction is Waived -> Unclaimed -> Traded with Rangers retaining about 25 %.

 

[Zats Muccarello]

Gonna be real f***ing awkward when he shows up to Rangers training camp later this year lol

 

[TGWL]

Trouba gonna' wait until all the upgraded pieces are signed and then give us some cap relief.