Jacob Trouba is out because of “roster management,” recalls Mancini from Hartford

News

Rangers captain Jacob Trouba is being held for “roster management” reasons, leading to speculation that a trade or waivers are imminent.

It’s no secret that the Rangers have been struggling and changing over the last month. There was some hope in the air when they managed to stop the Canadiens, but that quickly evaporated after being defeated earlier this week by their rival, and let me remind you, a successful team, the New Jersey Devils were brought to school. For weeks we have all been wondering what needs to happen in order for change to be brought about. This was particularly questioned after Drury himself made a very public statement seeking to shake things up. Was that just motivation or did the GM actually mean it? This morning may have finally given us the answer to that question.

A few things to note: Mancini for Trouba is already an improvement. That’s easy, the Rangers captain was that bad. This announcement of “roster management” could also mean a lot. Did Drury force the captain to accept a trade, or will Trouba soon be released and forced to undergo the Wade Redden treatment? If it’s the former, you have to wonder what changed for Trouba after he legitimately exercised his no-trade clause over the summer. He currently has a 15-team no-trade list. If the latter, there are a few moves to make first that could likely result in Trouba being acquired by another team, but overall this is breaking news.

With Trouba already halfway through his career, it seems like being named captain of the New York Rangers is, for some reason, the end of the world for your Broadway career. Both Ryan McDonagh and Ryan Callahan were traded to New York with the “C.” Trouba could be the third example of this in a row. No wonder none of the players wanted it for a few years. On the other hand, trading the captain or firing him midway through the season is a huge blow to a team’s success this year. According to my colleague Eric Kohn, the last time a team did this and won the Stanley Cup was in 1993, when the Canadiens sent Guy Carbonneau to the St. Louis Blues in the middle of the season. It’s possible, but not likely, and this year it seemed more like a cup or bust season, so we’re taking a step backwards here.

Finally, the biggest concern I have with all of this is the impact it has on players wanting to sign with the Rangers. There were some questionable moves by Drury that were viewed as business decisions. Yes, other teams have done this too, and yes, this is indeed a deal, but that doesn’t change the fact that it could influence a free agent’s thoughts about signing with the team. The way we ejected Goodrow and now potentially Trouba may not sit well with some people, and as long as Drury is still in charge, that could be another hurdle for this team to overcome.