[Speculation] Friedman: Rangers Shopping Chris Kreider, Jacob Trouba

[RWJC]

Friedman: Rangers Shopping Chris Kreider, Jacob Trouba

 

November 25th, 2024 at 10:07am CST • By Josh Erickson

 

The Rangers are still squarely in playoff position after last season’s Presidents’ Trophy win, placing third in the Metropolitan Division with a .658 points percentage and a 12-6-1 record. Their 5-on-5 play remains an issue, though, and their subpar shot-attempt and scoring chance shares came to a head Saturday after they allowed 40 shots in a 6-2 loss to the Oilers.

 

Rangers general manager Chris Drury was evidently so disturbed by their back-to-back losses against the Flames and Oilers in Alberta that he’s “made it very clear they are interested in making moves and shaking up their roster,” Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports Monday. Captain Jacob Trouba is being dangled as trade bait once again after the club aggressively tried to work out a trade for him over the summer, while star winger and lifelong Ranger Chris Kreider has also been made available, Friedman said.

 

They’re not the only names being considered in moves – assumedly, some cheaper and less consequential pieces could easily be leveraged along with futures for short-term upgrades. However, the fact that Drury is even considering leveraging Kreider, a lifelong Ranger with two years left on his contract, indicates quickly growing panic in New York about their skaters’ underlying play despite their 108-point pace.

 

 

Kreider is second on the Blueshirts with nine goals in 19 games but has inexplicably yet to record an assist despite even-strength linemates Mika Zibanejad and Reilly Smith combining for seven goals. He won’t play tonight against the Blues, but it’s not a trade-related scratch – he’s banged up and dealing with an upper-body injury.

 

After years of Kreider and Zibanejad being some of the Rangers’ most consistent players, they’ve struggled to generate much of anything at even strength. Their trio with Smith, acquired from the Penguins in an offseason trade, has generated just 2.69 expected goals per 60 minutes – the worst among the five Rangers forward combinations with at least 50 minutes together this season, per MoneyPuck. That would be at least passable if they weren’t also allowing 2.85 xG against per hour, the highest mark among those five combos.

 

Kreider has appeared in 834 regular-season games for the Rangers since they drafted him 19th overall in 2009, ranking third in franchise history with 313 goals and 10th with 561 points. He’s been an invaluable playoff performer for them in recent years, racking up 24 goals and 37 points in 43 postseason games since 2022.

 

The alternate captain has three years left on his contract at a discount $6.5MM cap hit, given he’s scored at least 35 goals for three years in a row and is on pace to do so again in 2024-25. He has a modified no-trade clause with a 15-team no-trade list, per PuckPedia, so Drury won’t have completely free rein regarding where Kreider ends up if he does end up more aggressively trying to leverage him for a piece to help improve their possession numbers.

 

Trouba on the trade block is no surprise. The 30-year-old defender was almost dealt to the Red Wings near the draft last summer, per multiple reports, a swap he blocked with his full no-movement clause. That NMC has downgraded to a modified no-trade clause with a 15-team no-trade list, so Drury has much more flexibility this time around in where he could find a home for Trouba’s $8MM cap hit through 2025-26, assuming they don’t retain any salary and instead take a significant amount of money back as they “shake up their roster,” as Friedman put it.

 

Trouba has six assists and a +3 rating through 19 appearances this season but is averaging a career-low 20:32 per game. He’s been given the most taxing defensive usage of his career, playing much less of an offensive role and starting over 60% of his even-strength shifts in the defensive end for the first time, per Hockey Reference.

 

https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/11/rangers-shopping-chris-kreider-jacob-trouba.html#ref=home

Edited November 25 by RWJC

[Lewlowned]

 

Interesting reaction to getting stomped by Edmonton. Isn’t NYR still near the top of the league in points percentage?

 

Trouba at 50% retained? Our flying elbows/60 stat would really benefit

Edited November 25 by Lewlowned

[DeNiro]

Always found the idea of a Hughes-Trouba pair enticing.

 

That being said no way we could make it work even if he was willing to waive to come here.

 

Schneider is also someone I’d be interested in but do they even wanna move him?

[Bob Long]

6 minutes ago, DeNiro said:

Always found the idea of a Hughes-Trouba pair enticing.

 

That being said no way we could make it work even if he was willing to waive to come here.

 

Even retaining it's not really possible, unless it's for Garland.

 

Vegas will get him somehow.

 

6 minutes ago, DeNiro said:

Schneider is also someone I’d be interested in but do they even wanna move him?

 

Too expensive with Willander on the way.

[HKSR]

I was at the NYR game and there was something missing in their lineup for sure.  I don't think it's necessarily a personnel issue, I think it's a chemistry or confidence issue for whatever reason.  Something just looked off about them.  They had a couple lucky bounces that directly led to goals, otherwise we would have won that game.  Shesterkin looked shaky as hell all game too.  I think a single big trade would jump start their roster again, which is probably what they're going for.

[MikeBossy]

I think Trouba ends up in Vegas

[RWJC]

5 minutes ago, HKSR said:

I was at the NYR game and there was something missing in their lineup for sure.  I don't think it's necessarily a personnel issue, I think it's a chemistry or confidence issue for whatever reason.  Something just looked off about them.  They had a couple lucky bounces that directly led to goals, otherwise we would have won that game.  Shesterkin looked shaky as hell all game too.  I think a single big trade would jump start their roster again, which is probably what they're going for.

Maybe there’s also some nerves knowing the team is going to look a bit different next year once Shesterkin chews up all that cap space? I’m not sure that’s necessarily the case but a massive raise for one single player having some ramifications down the roster could cause some friction or anxiety I suppose.

 

The Rags are in transition a bit with some vets but to a degree are a bit stuck with Shesterkin’s situation in that if they decided against the massive new contract, they likely couldn’t trade him for a kings ransom due to his upcoming UFA status not to mention $ expectations. Limited market and major risk he walks after post. Interesting times there. Hope we can capitalize on them somehow.

 

 

Edited November 25 by RWJC

[flickyoursedin]

Man NYR may have won the cup if they did the Schnieder plus for JT Miller retained. With that roster and JT at 2.5 mill a year for 2 playoff runs. Tried pushing that Nils Lundkvist into the trade! Happy management saw the small dman that’s not good at defence but also doesn’t bring enough on offence.

[Coconuts]

 

 

[Coconuts]

I'd honestly be surprised if they move Kreider, but Trouba being shipped out has seemed inevitable for a while

 

He's only got a 15-team NTC this season, someone will likely take on his full salary, Rags almost certainly won't retain 

 

That being said, of the teams probably willing to actually move out tenured fan favourites, the Rags are probably one of them 

Edited November 25 by Coconuts

[ABNuck]

I think we're already taking too many dumb penalties, no need to compound the problem with Trouba-maker.

[HKSR]

Trouba to Nashville.  Alex Carrier going to NYR.  You heard it here 1st folks!

[Coconuts]

I wonder if the Canes and Rags could come to terms on a swap

 

Orlov and Trouba's deals are only 250k apart, Orlov's a pending UFA

 

If the Rags grab Orlov they free up cap space at the end of the season, if the Canes take on Trouba they get an RD with an extra year attached 

[Coconuts]

5 minutes ago, HKSR said:

Trouba to Nashville.  Alex Carrier going to NYR.  You heard it here 1st folks!

 

I was looking at Nashville too

 

Carrier plus Nashville's 1.4M adds up to about 5.15, Nashville would need to add another contract 

 

Could the Rags roll the dice on Nyquist knowing that they'd likely be letting him walk at the end of the season? They're gonna need the cap space anyway. 

 

Carrier, Nyquist, and something else for Trouba? 

 

Or would they prefer Sissons or Novak? Nashville's already hurting for centers though

Edited November 25 by Coconuts

[HKSR]

3 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

 

I was looking at Nashville too

 

Carrier plus Nashville's 1.4M adds up to about 5.15, Nashville would need to add another contract 

 

Could the Rags roll the dice on Nyquist knowing that they'd likely be letting him walk at the end of the season? They're gonna need the cap space anyway. 

 

Carrier, Nyquist, and something else for Trouba? 

 

Or would they prefer Sissons or Novak? Nashville's already hurting for centers though

NAS currently has about $7M in cap space running 15F and 6D.  If they move Carrier for Trouba, that's a $4.25M add.  Wouldn't need to do anything else.  They can accrue the rest until the TDL and look for another centre then.

[Coconuts]

3 minutes ago, HKSR said:

NAS currently has about $7M in cap space running 15F and 6D.  If they move Carrier for Trouba, that's a $4.25M add.  Wouldn't need to do anything else.  They can accrue the rest until the TDL and look for another centre then.

 

Interesting, the source I'm using for cap is usually pretty on the ball but there's cap variance amongst sources. 

 

Capwages has them at 1.4, Puckpedia has them at just over 7M.

 

In that case Nashville would have a much easier time.

[Elias Pettersson]

I’d take Kreider if he was available and wanted to come here. He plays in all situations and is 6’3” 230 pounds. I’d play him with Miller and Boeser. Gotta give to get. Salaries have to match too. So would need to be Garland +. I’d do that deal. Kreider is a legit top 6 winger and would be great in the playoffs. 

[HKSR]

1 minute ago, Elias Pettersson said:

I’d take Kreider if he was available and wanted to come here. He plays in all situations and is 6’3” 230 pounds. I’d play him with Miller and Boeser. Gotta give to get. Salaries have to match too. So would need to be Garland +. I’d do that deal. Kreider is a legit top 6 winger and would be great in the playoffs. 

Garland won't be traded this year.  I would bet on it

[Coconuts]

2 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

I’d take Kreider if he was available and wanted to come here. He plays in all situations and is 6’3” 230 pounds. I’d play him with Miller and Boeser. Gotta give to get. Salaries have to match too. So would need to be Garland +. I’d do that deal. Kreider is a legit top 6 winger and would be great in the playoffs. 

 

As weird as this is to type, Garland is outproducing Kreider

 

Garland has five goals and ten assists in nineteen games

 

Kreider has nine goals and no assists through nineteen games

 

Obviously Kreider has a track record of being a much better goal scorer, particularly over the last three seasons, but his production has taken a hit thus far

 

His production could easily improve, certainly, but he'll be 34 in April and he's got a couple more seasons on his contract

 

I'm open to trading Garland if the right deal comes along, but I dunno about this one 

[Elias Pettersson]

6 minutes ago, HKSR said:

Garland won't be traded this year.  I would bet on it

 

[EdgarM]

7 minutes ago, HKSR said:

Garland won't be traded this year.  I would bet on it

I agree, he provides offence even when the top guys are not. With Joshua returning, we will see this even more. The defense is where we need the most help at the moment anyway. 

[Elias Pettersson]

8 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

 

As weird as this is to type, Garland is outproducing Kreider

 

Garland has five goals and ten assists in nineteen games

 

Kreider has nine goals and no assists through nineteen games

 

Obviously Kreider has a track record of being a much better goal scorer, particularly over the last three seasons, but his production has taken a hit thus far

 

His production could easily improve, certainly, but he'll be 34 in April and he's got a couple more seasons on his contract

 

I'm open to trading Garland if the right deal comes along, but I dunno about this one 

Kreider is a former 50 goal scorer my friend and had 75 points last season.  You can’t base Garland’s production off 19 games this season. He’s a 40-50 point guy. And he’s also a 3rd liner. Kreider is 230 pounds. Would be perfect in the bumper position to kickstart our PP.  This would be a no brainer trade if Kreider wanted to come here. I’d even throw in Höglander to close the deal. 

Edited November 25 by Elias Pettersson

[Coconuts]

3 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Kreider is a former 50 goal scorer my friend and had 75 points last season.  You can’t base Garland’s production off 19 games this season. He’s a 40-50 point guy. And he’s also a 3rd liner. Kreider is 230 pounds. Would be perfect in the bumper position to kickstart our PP.  This would be a no brainer trade if Kreider wanted to come here. I’d even throw in Höglander to close the deal. 

 

I know, I was looking at his stats, he's aged pretty well thus far. Like I said, he could bounce back with his production, but my general lack of desire for deals that take players into their late 30's stands. 

 

I'm less inclined to add up front if I'm the Canucks right now, when it's clearly the back end that is the source of greatest need. 

 

We're missing Miller and Boeser, Pettersson and DeBrusk are gaining traction, I'm just not entirely sold on us needing Kreider. I'm not overly worried about our forward group going forward. 

 

If management wants to add more juice up front it needs to be after they address our need for another top 4D imo. 

[Lewlowned]

1 minute ago, Coconuts said:

 

I know, I was looking at his stats, he's aged pretty well thus far. Like I said, he could bounce back with his production, but my general lack of desire for deals that take players into their late 30's stands. 

 

I'm less inclined to add up front if I'm the Canucks right now, when it's clearly the back end that is the source of greatest need. 

 

We're missing Miller and Boeser, Pettersson and DeBrusk are gaining traction, I'm just not entirely sold on us needing Kreider. I'm not overly worried about our forward group going forward. 

 

If management wants to add more juice up front it needs to be after they address our need for another top 4D imo. 

 

I'm in the same boat. Our D is the most pressing concern, and where the bulk of our available cap should go.

 

Though Kreider is intriguing. That guy's net front presence is pretty formidable. He would give us lots of looks on the PP that we could use. And he would probably gel with Miller very well.

 

Just package up K'andre and Chris and we're good to go lol

[Elias Pettersson]

2 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

 

I know, I was looking at his stats, he's aged pretty well thus far. Like I said, he could bounce back with his production, but my general lack of desire for deals that take players into their late 30's stands. 

 

I'm less inclined to add up front if I'm the Canucks right now, when it's clearly the back end that is the source of greatest need. 

 

We're missing Miller and Boeser, Pettersson and DeBrusk are gaining traction, I'm just not entirely sold on us needing Kreider. I'm not overly worried about our forward group going forward. 

 

If management wants to add more juice up front it needs to be after they address our need for another top 4D imo. 

Our defence is definitely an issue. However, our power play sucks too. Last playoffs we couldn’t score goals either. Suter didn’t work well in the top 6. Kreider would be perfect playing with Miller/Boeser. Would complete our top 6. He’s actually on pace for 38 goals, so he’s not really struggling right now. He’s just not a playmaker. 
 

We definitely need help on defence too. We are in the same situation as last year. We need a forward and a defenceman. A Lindholm and a Zadorov.