Player Discussion Jacob Trouba

[Brief Candle]

To be fair - he could forego the remainder of his contract and give up $16M to stay in NYC. He wants his money too. It's not just the personal issues, which are more than understandable. He's trying to get his money and do what he wants regardless of what terms he's agreed to on his deal. Again - to caveat, this is based on what Brooks implies so to the extent he's wrong or off base, that's a whole different story.

Because the the company that is the New York Rangers would be so generous? Hell no. Sorry, I side with the human, not the company.

 

[SA16]

Right. And it's been discussed ad nauseam, but it's true. He signed for $8 mil a year and a 15 team NTC. He probably could have gotten a full no trade for the entire duration of the contract if he signed for $6.5-$7 mil. He didn't. He got as much money as he could, and now he needs to live with it.


I am totally fine with this. But we should be trying to trade him to NYI or Philly for something before buying him out.

Why do you think they still want to trade him? As of right now:

1. All the top FA forwards are gone so clearing the money would not let them get one
2. They have not signed a single defenseman and are not strong with defensive prospects so they don't have a replacement available
3. They don't need cap space this year to sign their last remaining RFAs
4. The coaching staff likes him and he's a key guy on the PK.

So unless they have a second trade already worked out that would require clearing cap space why do they want to trade him at this point? I don't think they care about the fans perception of the issue and neither does he. If he cared about that, then he wouldn't be so hesitant to go elsewhere.

Buying him out makes no sense (ignoring the fact that the buyout window is closed and they may or may not get another) because then you're just adding two additional years of cap hit and issues 1-4 above all still exist. Waiving him also makes little sense due to the above - especially since it seems he may actually have positive trade value and can be dealt in the offseason. If he had negative trade value they could just attach and asset and trade him to someone and even if he didn't report the other team could suspend him (and possibly terminate the deal) and still get the asset

 

[94leetch]

So, he's getting torn apart for something that may or may not have happened?
If so that was a hatchet job by Brooks.

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

Because the the company that is the New York Rangers would be so generous? Hell no. Sorry, I side with the human, not the company.

What you’re saying doesn’t make a lot of sense. He agreed to the terms on his deal. Now he is trying to circumvent those terms.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Hate to stray too far from hockey talk, but Trouba is a professional athlete on the road 100+ nights a year. His wife is doing a residency. Someone(s) else is helping out a TON to raise that child. They can hopefully continue to help while he is in another city for 1 year while she finishes the residency. Or, they can all move - it's not unheard of.

I understand it's a lot to navigate and none of us would want to deal with this type of situation. But we don't make $8 million a year, and we aren't in the business of sports. He is. This needs to be finished.

The “he doesn’t want to break up his family” takes are so wild like he’s going to be Bruce Wayne’s cellmate in The Dark Knight Rises. Welcome to being a pro athlete? Have you heard of these things called nannies and airplanes? Wait til I clue you in to what millions of military families have to deal with in this country every day.

Well said. He has a contract. We offered it to him with certain terms in it. Is it his fault that somehow it got leaked Drury was trying to trade him? People blaming him can and should get f***ed.

His contract is a 15 team NTC. Not the full NTC he pouted his way into.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

If he’s poisoning the well by letting it be known league wide that he’s not willing to go, even if the team is acceptable per the list he created and terms on his contract(which is what Larry is implying), then the player is absolutely to blame. The contract allows for a trade to an acceptable team. It’s being implied that he’s not willing to go even if it’s within the contract to trade him.

Then the other team can deal with that and the ramifications of it if he's moved or waived. He's allowed to say he won't play. We can also waive him and send him to Hartford. If he doesn't report, we can then terminate his contract.

Do you guys have any clue that we have recourse here or are y'all just memeing at this point?

 

[Riche16]

Why do you think they still want to trade him? As of right now:

1. All the top FA forwards are gone so clearing the money would not let them get one
2. They have not signed a single defenseman and are not strong with defensive prospects so they don't have a replacement available
3. They don't need cap space this year to sign their last remaining RFAs
4. The coaching staff likes him and he's a key guy on the PK.

So unless they have a second trade already worked out that would require clearing cap space why do they want to trade him at this point? I don't think they care about the fans perception of the issue and neither does he. If he cared about that, then he wouldn't be so hesitant to go elsewhere.

Buying him out makes no sense (ignoring the fact that the buyout window is closed and they may or may not get another) because then you're just adding two additional years of cap hit and issues 1-4 above all still exist. Waiving him also makes little sense due to the above - especially since it seems he may actually have positive trade value and can be dealt in the offseason. If he had negative trade value they could just attach and asset and trade him to someone and even if he didn't report the other team could suspend him (and possibly terminate the deal) and still get the asset

You make some valid points here but you're kinda burying the lead in that Drury & the NYR wanted to & by all accounts were on the very verge of trading him away, in conference in fact.

He's the C of the team & there's just NO WAY he's going to suit up with that C on his sweater & play his heart out knowing full well that this happened & after his wife's "postponed by 1 yr" residency is up it's going to ultimately happen.

This is a lose / lose situation for this team. If he doesn't just accept a trade prior to the start of the season I don't see any other outcome other than placing him on waivers or buying him out.

He can't play for this team anymore.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Hate to stray too far from hockey talk, but Trouba is a professional athlete on the road 100+ nights a year. His wife is doing a residency. Someone(s) else is helping out a TON to raise that child. They can hopefully continue to help while he is in another city for 1 year while she finishes the residency. Or, they can all move - it's not unheard of.

I understand it's a lot to navigate and none of us would want to deal with this type of situation. But we don't make $8 million a year, and we aren't in the business of sports. He is. This needs to be finished.

He can also just be waived, refuse to report to Hartford, and we can then terminate his contract. We have recourse. So does he. Everyone can exercise their CBA-given rights.

Brooks also said that everything between Trouba's camp and Drury has been professional and non-contentious. They ran with bad info. At this point, I don't even believe the Detroit stuff was serious.

Agreed. In fact, I believe I was the very first one to say that I didn't believe anything on the Detroit stuff and had largely written it off as nonsense.

 

[LOFIN]

I will say this, I understand it's a shitty f***ing situation from Trouba's side. But if the Trouba camp is deliberately blocking the move by making it clear to other teams he's not going to report, then the Rangers have to use their iron fist and assign him to Hartford. And he can choose not to go, and get suspended without pay.

His contract has a M-NTC. And if he and his agent are using the threat of not reporting to turn it into full NTC, you can't just lift your hands up and say we are screwed, have to bring him back. At that point, you go all the way to the Hartford route. It sucks for everyone involved, is not good for the locker room, and the perception around the league. But you can't be held hostage here either.

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

Then the other team can deal with that and the ramifications of it if he's moved or waived. He's allowed to say he won't play. We can also waive him and send him to Hartford. If he doesn't report, we can then terminate his contract.

Do you guys have any clue that we have recourse here or are y'all just memeing at this point?

Regardless of recourse he’s back dooring his way through the process, trying to block a legal and legitimate move the rangers could be making. Probably also blocking any return that the rangers could get. Yes, if Larry is correct, he’s hurting the organization that I’m a fan of by not following the terms of a contract that HE agreed to. Perfectly reasonable to be upset about that.

 

[mas0764]

Brooks also said that everything between Trouba's camp and Drury has been professional and non-contentious. They ran with bad info. At this point, I don't even believe the Detroit stuff was serious.

And if Brooks is wrong - or worse, lying himself - then I don't have any problem with Trouba's conduct and have stated as much multiple times now.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

Regardless of recourse he’s back dooring his way through the process, trying to block a legal and legitimate move the rangers could be making. Probably also blocking any return that the rangers could get. Yes, if Larry is correct, he’s hurting the organization that I’m a fan of by not following the terms of a contract that HE agreed to. Perfectly reasonable to be upset about that.

How do you know this? Now all of a sudden Larry is 100% right. We spend the entire season mocking the guy, saying he has no legit sources and that Drury runs a tight ship BUT this one instance he's spot on?

 

[McRanger92]

I commend Trouba for standing by his wife, I really do. My wife is a medical professional and I might do the same thing he's doing. That fact o the matter is, however, that because of Trouba's refusal to accept a trade that clearly Drury tried to orchestrate to make him happiest, the Rangers have now lost their ability to improve on last years team that wasnt good enough, due to non-hockey reasons.

So Trouba deserves the boos he will get if he is here on opening night. If it has an effect on the locker room in any way, thats fine too. The lack of accountability with this team was a little too clear on breakup day, and this is more evidence. Lot's of guys seem like they want to get paid and continue living the cushy life in NY, and winning is secondary. Igor, Lindgren contract situations are another example. Do these guys want to get the most money, or help the team win? Because if they want to get paid based on the highest percentage of the cap, or get more years despite being extremely injury prone, they can go too. We can come up short with or without them.

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

How do you know this? Now all of a sudden Larry is 100% right. We spend the entire season mocking the guy, saying he has no legit sources and that Drury runs a tight ship BUT this one instance he's spot on?

I agree with this - it’s all hinged on Larry being right. Which who knows. Just going with what is out there right now.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

He's allowed to do that and that team is allowed to terminate his contract if he doesn't report.

What, you think the team will just be stuck with a non-reporting player on their cap? Any team that he didn't report to via waivers could terminate his contract for non-compliance.



Then maybe we shouldn't have signed him to a contract for 8 years that included a NMC and then a m-NTC.

Almost like actions have consequences. Some of you guys seem to not get that.

Again, you have utter clowns on here openly suggesting Trouba's wife can be a homemaker, now. You really want to go down this argument path?

Why would any team trade for him and run the risk that they would have to go through this? It immediately nukes any trade value he had left.

 

[NYR BHK]

Philly wanted Trouba before he came to NY, it’s not the easiest living situation, but what about seeing if Philly would take him? Obviously NJ, NYI aren’t interested…Even if we took back one of their headaches in Ristolainen…wonder if that living arrangement would work for the Trouba family. Saves something like $2.9 million

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

And if Brooks is wrong - or worse, lying himself - then I don't have any problem with Trouba's conduct and have stated as much multiple times now.

I genuinely think Drury explored trading him. He could still be trying to work something out. Anything other than that at this point is just wild speculation. I also think Drury probably asked every player with modified NMCs to submit their list be FA started. It would be malpractice if he didn't. It didn't work out, life goes on. Just leave his wife and family alone. You could pay me 15 million a year to play hockey and I wouldn't leave my 8 month old son for the season.

I agree with this - it’s all hinged on Larry being right. Which who knows. Just going with what is out there right now.

If everything hinged on Larry being right, the world would be a dark, dark, comical place.

 

[mas0764]

I commend Trouba for standing by his wife, I really do. My wife is a medical professional and I might do the same thing he's doing. That fact o the matter is, however, that because of Trouba's refusal to accept a trade that clearly Drury tried to orchestrate to make him happiest, the Rangers have now lost their ability to improve on last years team that wasnt good enough, due to non-hockey reasons.

So Trouba deserves the boos he will get if he is here on opening night. If it has an effect on the locker room in any way, thats fine too. The lack of accountability with this team was a little too clear on breakup day, and this is more evidence. Lot's of guys seem like they want to get paid and continue living the cushy life in NY, and winning is secondary. Igor, Lindgren contract situations are another example. Do these guys want to get the most money, or help the team win? Because if they want to get paid based on the highest percentage of the cap, or get more years despite being extremely injury prone, they can go too. We can come up short with or without them.

He would actually get sympathy points if he accepted such a trade and then had to make it work with the inconviences (despite all the money he's paid).

It's that IF he's refusing or sabotaging, there is no excuse, and he cannot fall back on "I have to stay for my wife." There are ways around that, including her postponing her career. It's an option. And it's not misogynistic to suggest such, any more than it's misogynistic to suggest he can quit and she can support him (which is also an option since she's a doctor).

 

[The Crypto Guy]

So, he's getting torn apart for something that may or may not have happened?
If so that was a hatchet job by Brooks.

Drury came out and basically said “trouba knows what kind of a player i think of him as” (compliment), also said he’s has discussions with him and his agent that will remain private.

Don’t you think he would have just said “all the trade talks were complete BS” if it was all lies?

C’on.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

Agreed. In fact, I believe I was the very first one to say that I didn't believe anything on the Detroit stuff and had largely written it off as nonsense.

It's too obvious. He's from Michigan so clearly Detroit wants him and he wants to go there.

 

[McRanger92]

The thing we have to keep in mind with Trouba, is that it's always f***ing something with him.

Needed playing time assurances to sign the ELC with the Jets

Contentious negotiations and a holdout after that because everyone and their mother knew he wanted to be back in the US

He and Overhardt strafed Gorton in the negotiations because Gorts blew all his bargaining power trading a first and a controllable asset at the same position for a guy who was a 2nd pair D on his best day even then.

Now he can't be traded because he's telegraphed to every team he's a poisoned asset until his wife finishes school.

The sympathy card is played out.

 

[Circus86]

One thing I wanted to say that in general (I hope this doesn't give off the wrong vibe and a bit OT) I dislike the idea that people with family and kids somehow should be in a different position or get special treatment over single people without family.

 

[LOFIN]

Drury came out and basically said “trouba knows what kind of a player i think of him as” (compliment), also said he’s has discussions with him and his agent that will remain private.

Don’t you think he would have just said “all the trade talks were complete BS” if it was all lies?

C’on.

Yup, a lot of the times it's not what these GMs (or coaches, or players) say, it's what they don't say. Drury's presser wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement for the captain of the New York Rangers.

 

[Riche16]

I genuinely think Drury explored trading him. He could still be trying to work something out. Anything other than that at this point is just wild speculation. I also think Drury probably asked every player with modified NMCs to submit their list be FA started. It would be malpractice if he didn't. It didn't work out, life goes on. Just leave his wife and family alone. You could pay me 15 million a year to play hockey and I wouldn't leave my 8 month old son for the season.


If everything hinged on Larry being right, the world would be a dark, dark, comical place.

Very admirable. But that isn't what his contract states.

It states that there are only 15 places he can't be traded to.

This isn't the 1st time a player was traded, in any sport, to another city only to have to inconveniently uproot his family & it won't be the last.

This is the world they live in. High stakes, where they are paid MILLIONS based on their performance & if/when those two don't align, the more than likely outcome is a trade & it means the family is on the move.

It comes with the territory. They all know that. Or should.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

1,000,000,000,000% correct.

Anyone holding this against Trouba is being cowardly at best. He has real family concerns. Just because he's making money doesn't mean he has to uproot his family, retire, etc.

He has a contract. There are clear rules in the CBA. I have no problem with the Rangers just waiving him and letting whomever claim him if need be, but NO one should be getting upset for Trouba simply exercising his collectively-bargained-for rights under the CBA and NO one should be getting upset for him NOT wanting to leave.

Be upset at the situation. Be upset at the contract. This has nothing to do with the player itself, however.



So his wife should just go and be a homemaker?

Jesus Christ. Maybe his wife WANTS to practice medicine.

He signed a contract. We offered him a contract. We can and should waive him, but this nonsense that this is somehow Trouba's fault, that he owes us something, that he should be willing to uproot his life and his wife's career . . . just silliness.

No offense, but yea, he does across like an entitle whinny brat. This is the NHL, trades happen all the time, if you dont have a full NMC then you know 100% you can be traded to another team. Dont care about the wife, nor should anyone, that is not something GMs are suppose to be factoring in (and seems extremely silly to even think about).

Jacob Trouba i guess thinks he’s better than the other 100 players who move teams each season, the players who bite their lips and understand it’s a business and it happens.

Somehow hundreds of players are able to figure out how to play in the NHL and have a family at the same time, Trouba instead wants everything on his terms despite not having that in his contract.

That’s not how it works Trouba, well i guess it does, since all his drama has now prevented a trade. I’m sure Drury will end up with the final play when it’s all said and done, whether that’s a week away or next offseason.