The New York Rangers have been one of the talks of the NHL offseason after news emerged that they were shopping captain Jacob Trouba. They have only $8.1 million cap space remaining and still need to sign some restricted free agents. Braden Schneider, Ryan Lindgren, and Jack Roslovic are RFAs the Rangers will attempt to bring back. These signings wouldn't give the Rangers much room to make any more moves, meaning targeting a Jacob Trouba trade to eliminate his $8 million cap hit is a priority.
Trouba has been a steady presence on the Rangers' blue line, but his play has deteriorated recently. He received backlash for his performance against the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final, as it wasn't worthy of the cap hit or the captaincy. The issue for the Rangers is that Trouba has a no-trade clause and has no interest in leaving New York. He signed with the Rangers because of his wife's residency at a local hospital until July 2025. Trouba and his wife also have a newborn baby, so the chances of Trouba leaving them for a year are unlikely.
The Rangers must sort out the Trouba situation soon, as Igor Shesterkin is due for a new contract before the 2025-26 season. They'll also need to sign Alexis Lafreniere and K'Andre Miller. Trouba's days as a Ranger feel numbered, but the decision is still up to him. When monitoring the Rangers' potential moves, we'll have to consider life with or without Trouba, as it's too hard to determine how that situation will go.
Let's look at possible trade targets for the Rangers entering the 2024 NHL offseason.
St. Louis Blues defensemen to replace Trouba
If the Rangers work out a deal for Trouba, they will still need to improve their defense depth by acquiring a cheaper option. The three names the Blues have been shopping are Torey Krug, Justin Faulk, and Nick Leddy. It wouldn't make much sense for the Rangers to acquire Krug or Faulk, as they have cap hits just $1.5 million cheaper than Trouba. Leddy has two years left on a deal, paying him $4 million annually.
Leddy had one of his best offensive seasons in 2023-24, tallying three goals and 25 assists. The Blues struggled most of the season, but he had a successful season by his standards. He doesn't bring the same upside as Trouba, but he could be a valuable plug-in option as a player like Miller steps up into Trouba's role.
The idea to trade away Trouba and then acquire a lesser defenseman may not make much sense. However, the $4 million they save over the next two seasons could land them a valuable piece at forward or help them with signing Shesterkin or Miller's extensions in the upcoming year.
Would the Jets want Trouba back?
The Winnipeg Jets have been feeling the loss of Trouba on their backend. They are also in a similar situation to the Rangers, with just $7.9 million in projected cap space for next season. The Jets have plenty of forwards under contract but just five defensemen as they try to work out a deal with restricted free agent Logan Stanley. The Jets are interested in moving one of their young forwards, as it seems like Nikolaj Ehlers has fallen out of favor in Winnipeg.
Could there be a deal where the Rangers send Trouba's $8 million cap hit to the Jets to add some scoring depth with Ehlers? The Rangers wouldn't have to give up too much for Ehlers, as he is in the last year of a $6 million contract. The Rangers would need to add a piece with Trouba to complete the deal, but it could be a favorable swap for both teams.
Rutger McGroarty is another intriguing Jet
Maybe a deal for Ehlers isn't the best way for the Rangers to maximize their cap space. The issue of Trouba not waiving his no-trade clause is also a concern. Could the Rangers try to acquire Rutger McGroarty from the Jets instead of Ehlers?
If Trouba stays, the Rangers must find some players with value. Once he signs an entry-level deal, McGroarty will be one of the most valuable players in the NHL. He will slot into a team's lineup and earn just $925,000 for his first three seasons. McGroarty would be the perfect addition for a Rangers team up against the cap for the foreseeable future.
The Rangers don't have a high amount of assets to make a trade for McGroarty. However, Chris Drury would be wise to at least venture into a discussion. The Rangers' best course of action is to find some value contracts for young players and hope they catch fire early in their careers. The Rangers don't have much flexibility, but these offseason trade targets are the most attainable with their current situation.
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