By now, you know the story of the entire Jacob Trouba trade saga and the NY Rangers. Heading everything up was general manager Chris Drury, who came close to trading Trouba to the Detroit Red Wings, but the deal never materialized thanks to the latter nixing the agreement.
So, one would think there would be some turbulence here between Drury and Trouba, right? While we’ll never know for sure, Drury’s words should spark some encouragement for fans who want to see Trouba stick around not only this season but next year and beyond.
Mollie Walker of the New York Post wrote that Drury said, “Jacob and I talk all the time, as GM and captain should,” he said. “I would even include Lavi in those conversations. Obviously, being captain, he runs our dressing room and is head of the leadership group. We’ve had a number of different conversations over the course of the summer, on a lot of different things. He is very clear as to where he stands with me and what I think of him as a player and as a leader. I think he’s done a real good job here.
“As a captain, there’s so many moving parts that go in and out of being captain, especially in New York and especially the Rangers captain. Excited to have him back, excited for training camp. I know he had a terrific offseason, training-wise.”
Should NY Rangers fans take Drury at his word regarding Jacob Trouba?
Regardless of the time of year, smokescreens are rampant, and you can say the same here about Chris Drury. But, the fourth-year executive also needs to put a better team on the ice than what he had last season so the Blueshirts can finally end their three-plus-decade drought without hoisting the Stanley Cup.
Even if the comment above is all talk, Drury and Trouba should have a common goal, especially considering the rarity of Cups on their respective resumes. Drury hoisted the Cup following a successful 2000-01 season with the Colorado Avalanche, so he’s going on a quarter-century without winning it again as player or in this case, executive.
And he was electric during that postseason, scoring 11 goals and 16 points in 23 playoff games. The experience shows us that Drury knows what it takes to reach the Final, even if the game has changed since he was last part of a team that won the Cup.
Meanwhile, Trouba’s been one of the NHL’s better and most underappreciated defensemen since he debuted with the Winnipeg Jets in 2013-14. Heading into his age-30 and 12th NHL season, the clock is ticking for Trouba and the Rangers, whose roster could be missing a few players next season, given their present and likely future cap constraints.
The Takeaway?
Right now, it’s simple: Drury and Trouba need to be on the same page from now until June if they plan on winning a Cup this season. This isn’t saying it will be their last chance to win, but with the Rangers being one of the NHL’s hottest teams on paper yet again and with the championship window open, the general manager and player must take advantage because there are no guarantees they’re getting another opportunity like this.
Regardless of any potential tension between the two, there’s nothing more important to either party than finally bringing a Cup home to Manhattan, where it’s rarely been if we’re talking about Original Six standards over the past eight-and-a-half decades. That said, any trade talk is a distraction, and right now, setting the record straight here is, ultimately, Drury’s way of putting an end to it for at least a while.
So, Rangers fans, if you’re still concerned about any friction between Trouba and the front office, don’t let it distract you. It doesn’t look like it’s distracting either Drury or Trouba, and that’s the way it needs to be with the 2024-25 regular season starting within the next month.
Expect yet another deep playoff run, and yep, it’s more than okay to expect Trouba to be part of it from the moment the puck drops next month against the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 9th.