The Rangers are likely sitting on Jacob Trouba at the end of his tenure in New York

Jacob Trouba will be held out of the Rangers’ game against the Penguins on Friday night for “squad management” reasons, The Post has learned.

The decision appears to be a prelude to a trade for the Rangers captain.

The suggestion that Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury hasn’t spoken to Trouba is completely false, Larry Brooks of The Post reported.

In fact, the two have spoken several times, both in groups and one-on-one, including on Friday morning.

It is understood the Rangers have informed No. 8 they will place him on waivers if Trouba does not accept a trade.

With Trouba out, Victor Mancini was recalled from AHL Hartford and is expected to replace Trouba in the Blueshirts’ lineup.

Last summer was the beginning of the end for Trouba and the Rangers.

The Rangers wanted to replace the 30-year-old defenseman, who was named the 28th captain in franchise history in the summer of 2022.

His recent play left him in line for a third-pair role this season, and the organization could have used his $8 million cap hit elsewhere.

However, despite his 15 no-trade roster picks last summer, Trouba didn’t want to uproot his family.

When he signed his seven-year, $56 million contract with the Rangers in July 2019 after arriving in New York via trade from Winnipeg as a pending restricted free agent, Trouba had crafted his five-year no-go clause to match his wife’s, Dr. Kelly Tyson-Trouba, and completing her three-year residency at a New York hospital.

Her assistantship was initially postponed by one year, so it is expected to end in July 2025.

The Troubas also welcomed their first child, Axel, in January.

Trouba’s on-ice performance earlier this season appeared to be affected by the offseason.

The captain who hung up the helmet in December 2022 to turn the entire season around didn’t give the Rangers what they needed to do the same in 2024.

In 24 games this season, Trouba has accumulated zero goals and six assists, as well as 22 penalty minutes and a minus-three rating.