Report: Rangers want roster shake-up; Trouba, Kreider among options
The New York Rangers are keen on shaking up their roster following Saturday's 6-2 thrashing at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
Captain Jacob Trouba and veteran forward Chris Kreider are reportedly among the options being considered, Friedman adds.
Sources also told The Athletic's Arthur Staple and Peter Baugh that Rangers general manager Chris Drury sent a message Monday to the league's 31 other teams indicating he's open for a trade and mentioning the names of Trouba and Kreider.
Trouba is signed through the 2025-26 campaign and carries an $8-million cap hit. Kreider is under contract for two more seasons after this one on a pact worth $6.5 million annually.
Both players have a 15-team no-trade list after owning a full no-movement clause for the previous four seasons.
Trouba was at the center of some trade speculation in the early offseason, and reports indicated that the Detroit Red Wings were interested in acquiring the physical blue-liner. He was apparently shocked to be on the trade block.
The 30-year-old has logged six assists, 29 hits, and a team-leading 56 blocks in 19 games while averaging 20:32 minutes of ice time per contest this season.
Trouba has posted a minus-2.3 defensive goals above replacement, per Evolving-Hockey. He's donned the "C" in New York since the 2022-23 season.
Kreider has spent his entire 13-year NHL career with the Rangers after being selected with the 19th overall pick at the 2009 draft. He ranks third in the franchise's all-time record books in goals (313), 10th in points (561), and ninth in games played (834).
The 33-year-old has 113 power-play goals to his name and needs just four more to pass Camille Henry for the most in team history.
Kreider has registered nine goals and no assists in 19 outings this campaign. He's scored once in his last six games and won't play Monday against the St. Louis Blues because of an upper-body injury.
The Rangers entered Monday's action in fourth place of the Metropolitan Division with a 12-6-1 record, though they are just two points behind the Washington Capitals in the third spot with one game in hand. Their .658 points percentage is eighth best in the league.
Trouba acknowledged before the start of the 2024-25 campaign that it could be the "last crack" for this core. New York has made it to the Eastern Conference Final in two of the last three seasons.
The Rangers are set to face no shortage of roster choices. They already signed Alexis Lafreniere to a seven-year deal with a $7.45-million cap hit, but the likes of Kaapo Kakko, Will Cuylle, and K'Andre Miller are all pending restricted free agents, while Ryan Lindgren, Igor Shesterkin, and Jonathan Quick can all become unrestricted free agents at the end of the campaign.