The Edmonton Oilers should check in on New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba. According to insider Elliotte Friedman, the Rangers are looking to make changes following the 6-2 shellacking at the Oilers’ hands.
Friedman Tweeted the following:
In the aftermath of their 6-2 loss in Edmonton on Saturday, the Rangers have made it very clear they are interested in making moves and shaking up their roster.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) November 25, 2024
Among the names indicated are Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba, although other options will be considered.
The comments are highly interesting, as the Rangers were considered Cup contenders entering this season. However, they are middling in the Metro Division, and clinging to a playoff spot by the skin of their teeth.
As a result, the Rangers may have no choice but to shake things up. In addition to Trouba, Chris Kreider’s name has come up in trade rumours. Now, moving Kreider is a relatively new proposition. But Trouba, he’s been rumoured to be on the block for a while now.
So, why not strike when things are a mess in New York? If the Rangers are motivated to make a deal for the sake of making one, the Edmonton Oilers could cash in on the situation.
Adding Trouba would help the Oilers’ bottom four pairings, most likely pushing one of Ty Emberson, Travis Dermott, or Brett Kulak out of the lineup. Plus, Trouba adds snarl and toughness to an Oilers' defence that, frankly, could use some more.
It’s worth pointing out that Trouba doesn’t contribute much offensively. But that wouldn’t be the point of acquiring him. Bringing Trouba in would be more of a leadership and toughness issue.
But there’s one caveat. Trouba has a 15-team no-movement clause. As such, he would need to okay a trade to Edmonton. Judging from the way things are going with the Rangers, Trouba might not balk at joining the Oilers.
The cost of acquiring Trouba
Here’s where things get tricky. Trouba comes along with an $8 million cap hit. That dollar amount would be extremely tough to fit under the cap for the Oilers. Thus, Trouba’s cap hit would influence the Rangers’ asking price.
If the Oilers are willing to take on the full cap hit, then the asking price could be significantly lower. For instance, the Oilers could send Jeff Skinner and a mid-round pick in exchange for Trouba and his massive cap hit.
However, the price would be much higher if there is retention involved, or a third party gets in on the deal to make the cap hit work. In such a situation, the cost could be prohibitive for the Oilers. Edmonton may need to give up a first-round pick or a top prospect to make the deal work. Doing so would defeat the purpose of making the deal happen.
Ultimately, the Oilers must do their due diligence and check in on Trouba. The Rangers might be really motivated to get a deal done, so the team could work out a favourable deal just to get Trouba and his contract off their books.
One last thing: Trouba is a free agent after next season. So, the Oilers wouldn’t be saddled with an albatross of a contract for the foreseeable future.