Report: Rangers now in to waive their veteran captain with $16 million remaining on the deal

Despite not making any big free agent acquisitions, the New York Rangers clearly need more players if they want to contend for a Stanley Cup the following year. They also have an intriguing issue with team captain Jacob Trouba, who is currently 30 years old and has just returned from a dismal 2023–24 campaign.

Jacob Trouba’s challenging 2023-24 season

Over 69 games, Trouba recorded three goals, 19 assists, a -4 rating, and 22 total points. On his seven-year, $56-million contract, the defender has two years and $16 million left. Trouba’s situation worsened during the postseason as he continued to play despite an ankle ailment. In the final two playoff rounds before their premature demise, he was on the ice for 47% of the goals that the Blueshirts gave up.

 

 

The Rangers could waive Trouba

Trouba’s value has decreased despite the Rangers’ attempts to move him, particularly in the wake of a lackluster postseason campaign. He was mostly unimpressive during the team’s postseason run, with just one goal and five assists.

“I’m quite interested in Trouba. Waivers time is now, just now. So, if they couldn’t convince the no-trade list to comply, there was a lot of conjecture that Trouba may wind up on waivers. They used Barclay Goodrow in that manner. “There’s a lot going on,” Seravalli remarked on July 1 during Daily Faceoff’s Live Free Agency Special.

Rangers’ future moves and financial flexibility

The Rangers were anticipated to have some options as the no-move restriction changed this week to a 15-team no-trade clause. All he needs to do is persuade another squad that he still has some gas left in the tank and persuade Trouba and his family to relocate out of New York.

The Rangers presently have over $8 million in salary space available, so they may add the entire $8 million in salary back to their allocations if another team claims Trouba. To persuade another team to take on Trouba’s deal, the Rangers would probably need to keep a portion of his income. And that’s presuming, after a terrible season and a patchy postseason run, that another team genuinely finds value in him.