The Rangers did nothing wrong with Jacob Trouba

The New York Rangers and Jacob Trouba are finally breaking up.

And with news on Friday that the Rangers were removing him from the lineup for “roster management,” there’s been some talk that forcing him out was somehow wrong. Either they’re going to trade their captain and veteran defenseman — potentially forcing him to waive his modified no-trade clause — or they’ll waive him.

And given his play this season, in which he has struggled mightily and hasn’t been as much of the physical presence he’s been for the franchise on the ice, it makes complete sense with the Rangers in complete disarray as of late.

But I’ve seen some folks thinking that it’s wrong to force Trouba out by  circumventing his no-trade clause. That’s absolutely not the case, especially when it felt like a trade this summer fell by the wayside because of that clause and his wife’s medical residency in New York (side note: I saw some fans say some awful things about that situation earlier this year, and how wrong was that? He exercised his contractual right to stay and that was that).

NYR dynamic with Trouba re trade/waivers is not unique. Lightning did it with Dan Boyle, Lightning also did it with Ryan McDonagh. Both of those guys were Cup winners, too.

— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) December 6, 2024

Now? This is a business move, and it’s not unprecedented! If you’re not performing, you get traded or waived. That’s it. The Rangers have given him more than enough opportunities to rebound, and unfortunately, it’s come to this. It’s ugly and sad, especially for a player who has given a ton to the franchise that he’s captained.

But the Rangers have done nothing wrong here.