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The game of chicken is over.
For now.
The Winnipeg Jets have re-signed unrestricted free agent defenseman Jacob Trouba.
Elliotte Friedman calls it a two-year, $6 million contract.
No. NOT $6M AAV.
It's $3M AAV.
Trouba likely could have gotten a better deal had he signed with the Jets in September or October.
Last Christmas, reports surfaced about Trouba demanding a 7 year contract in the $6.5M AAV echelon.
So, what happened?
Buffalo's Rasmus Ristolainen recently signed for 6 years and $32.4 million deal. Ristolainen's $5.4M AAV is certainly a comparable for Trouba.
Anaheim's Hampus Lindholm signed a six year deal with a respectable $5.25M AAV.
Trouba and his agent have left a ton of money on the table. What is his end game? Is he going to play for the Jets until Cheveldayoff traded him? Let's face it, he now has to renew acquaintances with teammates who he wanted to be traded away from. Now he has to suit up next to the same guys. Not every Jets teammate is going to accept Trouba back into the room.
If you are thinking about leaving Winnipeg , you've already left.
Just ask Evander Kane.
Right?
Last Friday, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff met with Trouba's agent in Detroit.
The Jets held all of the leverage with the Michigander.
Six months ago, Trouba made a trade request. The trade demand went public in September when the World Cup of Hockey was in progress in Toronto.
Cheveldayoff accepted trade offers for the 22 year old Trouba.
Clearly, Cheveldayoff wasn't blown away by the trade proposals that he accepted for Trouba, who would have been forced to sit out the rest of the season had he not been re-signed or traded on or by December 1.
I'm not buying that Trouba is okay with playing left D in Winnipeg. Usage was his rallying cry during his protracted hiatus from his teammates.
Trouba was adamant about playing right D in Winnipeg, his natural position.
Tyler Myers, who took Trouba's right D job on the second pair, is currently injured. Trouba will likely get a taste of Myers' ice time. What happens when Myers returns from his lower body injury? Will Trouba play the left side for Dustin Byfuglien in the top pair? Will he be traded away?
In 2015-16 Trouba played in 81 games for the Jets and recorded six goals and 15 assists while averaging 22+ minutes TOI.
Which teams want to trade for Trouba? Buffalo, Boston, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Anaheim and others have inquired about Trouba. Now that he is playing for pennies on the dollar, many more teams will make calls to Cheveldayoff on a trade for Trouba.
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According to the Boston Bruins, Tuuka Rask will face the Buffalo's Sabres tonight.
Rask is 6-1 with 1.98 GAA and .932 save %.
On Saturday night, Rask allowed 5 goals against on 24 shots faced by the NY Rangers. Is Rask's .792 save percentage on Saturday night a one off?
Robin Lehner will get the net for Buffalo, who have won 4 of their past 5 games.
In his past 4 games, Lehner has a 3-1 record,1.26 GAA, .961 save % #LeanerLehner
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) November 7, 2016
The Sabres are 3-3-4 in their last 10 games against the Bruins (4-3-3 on the road).
The Sabres have points in their last four road games against the Bruins (2-0-2), dating back to December 21, 2014. It’s the first time the team has had points in four straight visits to Boston since they had points in five straight from October 21, 2006 to November 1, 2007 (3-0-2).
In last four games, Robin Lehner has logged a 3-1-0 record with a .961 save percentage and a 1.26 goals-against average.
Robin Lehner has faced Boston more times than any other NHL team. In 13 career games against the Bruins, Lehner has logged a 3-6-3 record with a .925 save percentage and a 2.65 goals-against average.
Buffalo was ranked second in the NHL in faceoff percentage (54.4%) entering league play Sunday.
The Sabres’ power play is 8-for-36 (22.2%) on the season, ranking ninth in the league entering Sunday night’s games.
Rask was first goalie off the ice at morning skate. It was feared that Rask injured his lower body in Saturday's loss to the Rangers.
Here are the projected forward trios and D duos vs. Buffalo:
Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak
Spooner-Krejci-Backes
Beleskey-Nash-Czarnik
Schaller-Moore-Acciari
Chara-Carlo
Krug-McQuaid
Liles- Miller
Buffalo held a lightly attended optional skate on Monday morning.
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Tonight marks Samson Reinhart's 100th career NHL game. He has scored 25 goals and 24 assists in his brief NHL career.
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Kyle Okposo has totaled 22 points (4G, 18A) in 23 career games against the Bruins, including six points (2G, 4A) in his last four games in Boston.
Ryan O’Reilly has six points (3G, 3A) in his last five games against the Bruins.
Tyler Ennis has four points (1G, 3A) in his last four games against Boston.
Sam Reinhart has scored in each of his last two games against the Bruins.