When Jacob Trouba asks for a trade from Winnipeg, the hockey pays attention.
On Saturday afternoon, Trouba's agent issued a statement asking for a trade from the Winnipeg Jets.
On Sunday afternoon, Trouba's Jets teammates started reacting to his trade demand. The Winnipeg Free Press spoke with several of Trouba's teammates after their Sunday morning skate.
Veteran forward Mathieu Perreault did not sugar coat his feelings about Trouba.
“This guy plays big minutes, 22 minutes, and he’s gonna complain some sort of way about his ice time. How much more does he want?”
Perreault added an exclamation point to his feelings:
“I’m disappointed. I think it’s selfish of him to ask for that”.
D'Oh.
Shade thrown.
Is Tyler Myers shocked at Trouba's trade request?
"Maybe I am a little bit. It’s hard to react. It hasn’t really sunk in”.
Bryan Little:
“....you’ve got 60 guys here that would die to put that jersey on”.
Trouba would rather pull another team's sweater over his head. His teammates now know it.
That's a bad look. The Jets have to get rid of Trouba now or risk having a festering sore turn into a full blown infected room.
Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has no other choice other than to trade Trouba. His teammates are not happy with him and it will create a toxic environment if the team forces him to play on a team that he wants no part of. Trouba needs to go now, otherwise he will be Evander Kane Version 2.0 in The Peg.
There has been little of any progress, if any, in contract talks between the Jets and Trouba this summer. Unlike fellow RFA D Rasmus Ristolainen (Buffalo) and Hampus Lindholm (Anaheim) , Trouba, 22, won't be re-signing with the team that drafted him.
The long and short of the Trouba matter is that the Jets don't see him as a franchise, top four right D. The Jets already have Dustin Byfuglien and Tyler Myers playing their #1 and #2 right D roles. The Jets are not willing to invest upwards of $60 million in Trouba right now. Thus, he and his agent want part company with the Jets.
In my opinion, Trouba has proven his worth in his first three NHL seasons. I like that he is looking to turn the page and start anew outside of Winnipeg.
TSN's Darren Dreger shed light on the Trouba situation late Saturday night.
“It is surprising to a degree, but it’s far from shocking given the fact there has been an ongoing negotiation".
“At times talks would proceed, then they would break off. There was never a sense, certainly coming out of Winnipeg or the player’s camp, they were getting close to a contract extension for Jacob Trouba.
“I too spoke with Trouba. It seems like he made his media rounds to get the message out. For him, it’s about opportunity and career advancement. He believes that he’s at his best when he’s playing the right side. When he looks at the Winnipeg Jets’ depth chart he sees Byfuglien and he sees Myers ahead of him, and he doesn’t like the fit long term, based on that.
“So this is about him trying to exercise whatever pressure, whatever leverage he has to find a better fit.”
Dreger said that Cheveldayoff wants quality compensation in return for Trouba. Rightly so. The kid is a stud. Cheveldayoff has leverage because he technically doesn't have to trade Trouba. However, keeping Trouba in a locker room where he is not wanted could cause the Jets to crash and burn.
“The only way it’s quick is if there’s an NHL general manager out there who’s willing to pay a premium price to acquire Jacob Trouba. Kevin Cheveldayoff and the Winnipeg Jets know that they’ve got a valued asset in Trouba; but he’s important to the Winnipeg Jets both as a player, and now as trade bait.
“It’s likely they’re going to want a like player in return, so a good, young defenseman – a defenseman who’s under contract – as part of the package. Cheveldayoff will not be in any rush.
“There might be some who believe that Jacob Trouba has some leverage because he’s withholding his service. I don’t believe that’s the way the Winnipeg Jets look at this. They’ll be incredibly patient.”
Trouba won World Junior gold for Team USA in 2013. Trouba played alongside Buffalo Savres DF and former Team USA captain Jake McCabe. Trouba is also very, very close with his former Winnipeg teammate and current Sabres D leader Zach Bogosian.
What will it cost to acquire Trouba?
It will take a veteran left D and a prospect.
The Buffalo Sabres can offer the Jets either Dmitry Kulikov or Josh Gorges. Both are veteran lefties.
Kulikov was the 14th overall pick of the Florida Panthers in 2009. He played 7 seasons for the Cats. Kulikov was traded for defenseman Mark Pysyk. The Panthers also swapped their 33rd pick for Buffalo’s 38th and 89th pick. Buffalo used the 33rd pick in the 2016 NHL Draft to select Swedish star Rasmus Asplund.
Is it a guarantee that Kulikov plays with teh Savres now that his Team Russia has been eliminated by Team Canada at the World Cup of Hockey?
No.
The Jets are looking to add a veteran lefty to their top four D corps. Kulikov, 25, may be their man.
Josh Gorges has two years remaining on his Buffalo contract and would add some serious leadership and grit to the Winnipeg D corps.
The Jets have Toby Enstrom and Mark Staurt as their left D and can use an infusion of experience and skill at that position.
Moving Kulikov and a 2017 or 2018 first rounder might get Trouba deal done in Buffalo.
Thanks, Nichols On Hockey
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