In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the New York Rangers are looking for a way to force Jacob Trouba into accepting a trade. They reportedly threatened waivers but didn’t put him on them by the deadline on Friday. Now what? And who is connected in trade talks to the defenseman? Brendan Lemieux was placed on waivers for the purpose of a contract termination, and was Luke Richards on fired by the Chicago Blackhawks because Connor Bedard didn’t make Team Canada?
Rangers Forced Trouba Into a Trade
*Update: The Rangers have traded Jacob Trouba. He is going to the Anaheim Ducks for Urho Vaakanainen and a conditional 2025 draft pick.
The New York Rangers did NOT place Jacob Trouba on waivers Friday, even though several reports suggested they were threatening to do so if he didn’t accept a trade. It’s not clear if this is an indication that a trade might be close, but TSN’s Darren Dreger notes, “CBJ, Det and Anaheim among the crop of teams circling around Trouba and the NYR. Complicated.”
Pierre LeBrun reports: “Rangers still trying to get a Trouba trade done. Hearing the Ducks are still among the teams in trade conversations with NYR. But hearing the Blue Jackets are out.”
Related: NHL Rumors: Penguins, Rangers, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Capitals
Several trusted insiders reported earlier in the day that they were hearing the Rangers do have several options on the table for a trade, but Trouba could block with his partial no-trade clause. Rangers have indicated they would waive him if he does not accept one. Essentially, they are playing hardball with the defenseman, forcing him to work with them on a trade versus winding up on a team he doesn’t want to play for if and when they claim him on waivers.
Senators Not In the Mix, Brady Tkachuk Not on the Table
One rumor that surfaced thanks to an article in the New York Post suggested the Rangers and Senators might be talking. Dreger said nothing was cooking between the two teams but the post wrote, they wrote, “…the Blueshirts have been in trade talks with multiple teams — with Senators forward Brady Tkachuk their primary target.”
The article adds, “The 25-year-old Ottawa captain would bring a jolt to the lifeless Rangers lineup and in multiple ways.” Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen tweeted, “Nothing to Brady Tkachuk to the Rangers or anywhere else for that matter.”
Hurricanes Place Brendan Lemieux on Waivers
Elliotte Friedman is reporting that “Brendan Lemieux (CAR) is on waivers — unconditional to terminate contract.” It sounds like the contract termination is mutual and the two sides will go their separate ways as Lemieux tries to find another team to play with.
Was the Timing of Richardson’s Firing Related to Team Canada’s Snub of Connor Bedard?
Elliotte Friedman spoke about Richardson being firing on Friday’s 32 Thoughts podcast and noted that while he didn’t think the termination was solely due to Connor Bedard being disappointed he didn’t make Team Canada at the 4 Nations, the two things are not completely unrelated.
Friedman noted:
“I look at the fact that this happened the day after the Canadian team and all the other teams were announced, and I have to tell you, Kyle, I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”
He also added:
“…the Blackhawks see that Bedard is struggling, the team cannot create offense, and they had to do something. Like, even though nobody in their right mind thought the Blackhawks were going to be a playoff team, this isn’t going as well as they hoped. This is going worse than they hoped, and they had to do something, and I think that’s what this is about.”
At the very least, it sounds like the Blackhawks didn’t like the perception that was out there that Bedard was unhappy and struggling and that the common denominator was Richardson.