In today’s NHL rumors rundown, it sounds like Brady Tkachuk trade rumors aren’t going to quiet down anytime soon. Meanwhile, with the salary cap space freed up from the Jacob Trouba move, could the New York Rangers be looking at a handful of trade options? Finally, could the Anaheim Ducks flip Trouba in a deadline move should they not be headed for the playoffs?
Expect Brady Tkachuk Trade Talk to Continue
Rumors linking Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk to the New York Rangers were not true, but that didn’t stop rumors from surfacing this week. Elliotte Friedman addressed the speculation on Sportsnet, noting Tkachuk, 25, has three years remaining on his contract and, as long as the Senators keep losing, talk about Tkachuk being traded may continue.
Tkachuk has consistently made it clear that he has no plans to leave the Senators. He aims to stay in Ottawa and play a key role in turning the franchise into a contender. However, as long as the team continues to struggle on the ice, the speculation surrounding his future will unlikely go away.
Rangers Weigh Trade Options Ahead of Deadline
Following the trade of Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks and Igor Shesterkin’s contract extension, the New York Rangers find themselves with approximately $22 million in trade deadline salary-cap space. This financial flexibility opens the door for big moves ahead of the March 7 deadline.
Related: Rangers Trading Jacob Trouba Signals End Of an Era
Peter Baugh of The Athletic identified some key players the Rangers might chase. He dropped the names of Ivan Provorov of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Marcus Pettersson of the Pittsburgh Penguins are potential additions to their blue line. Up front, rental forwards like Anaheim’s Frank Vatrano or Seattle’s Yanni Gourde could provide short-term scoring depth. The Minnesota Wild’s Marco Rossi also emerged as a potential target.
Baugh writes:
Significant cap space is an advantage, but it’s also not a guarantee. If New York wants to add in major ways, it will still need to move good draft picks, prospects and perhaps even impact players from the current roster. The Rangers might not be able to find the perfect fits to use their cap space; they simply have more flexibility to try.
source – ‘What’s next for the Rangers after the Trouba trade and Shesterkin extension?’ – Peter Baugh – The Athetlic – 12/07/2024
Could the Ducks Flip Jacob Trouba at the Deadline?
Luke Fox of Sportsnet writes, “Could Ducks GM Pat Verbeek eat some of Trouba’s salary and flip him to a contender?” He adds, “Perhaps send him back to the East, closer to his wife’s hospital residency, for the final year-and-a-half of the defenceman’s contract?” Fox isn’t the only hockey writer to suggest such an idea.
Several teams looked at Trouba, but few were likely willing to take on his full salary. The Ducks had the flexibility to make the move and take on the contract. They also have the flexibility to retain the salary and send that contract to a team that still wants the defenseman but not to pay big money for him.
James Mirtle of The Athletic writes:
Even with Trouba’s full salary on their books, the Ducks have a ridiculous $21 million in cap room right now, and they’re not making the playoffs. If they can retain 50 percent of Trouba’s deal and trade him, either at this deadline or next season, for something that’s worth more than a fourth-round pick, they just bought an upgraded futures asset with cap space they weren’t using anyway.
source – ‘NHL trade grades: Jacob Trouba deal is a no-brainer for Rangers, an opportunity for Ducks’ – James Mirtle – The Athletic – 12/06/2024