Rangers captain admits 2024-25 season is ‘last crack for this core’
After an offseason of hearing his name in trade rumors, Jacob Trouba arrived at training camp again determined to help lead the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup. Only this time, the Rangers captain admitted it might be the last opportunity for this core group to win a championship together.
“In all likelihood this will probably be the last crack for this core,” Trouba stated Thursday after the first on-ice session of camp. “I don’t think it’s a secret by any means.”
A big part of that is the Rangers must make several major decisions on players next offseason due to salary-cap restraints. Trouba — with his $8 million annual salary the next two seasons — was reportedly on the trade block this past offseason to free up salary space. However, he reportedly used his 15-team no-trade clause to block any potential move.
Though Trouba downplayed the trade rumors Thursday, his statement seemed to show an awareness that this is likely his final season on Broadway. The Rangers need to re-sign star goalie Igor Shesterkin to a new contract before July 1, when he can become an unrestricted free agent. It’s expected to be a massive long-term extension for Shesterkin, who’s believed to want to top Carey Price’s $10.5 million AAV as the highest-paid goalie in NHL history.
The Rangers also are looking at expensive contracts for pending RFAs Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller. And if Kaapo Kakko has a big year, he’d be due a large raise, as well, next offseason as an RFA with arbitration rights like the other two.
On Tuesday, Rangers general manager Chris Drury said he wants to keep both Shesterkin and Lafreniere “a long time.”
So, yes, changes within the core are likely going to happen ahead of the 2025-26 season. Another casualty from the core could be defenseman Ryan Lindgren, a UFA at season’s end.
Trouba’s statement was a straightforward honest take. And could be one to rally the troops, as well.
Just one day earlier, coach Peter Laviolette warned that just because a team like the Rangers, who’ve reached the Eastern Conference Final two of the past three seasons, appears to be on the cusp of winning a championship, that’s not a given.
“Every team would like to think there’s a next step, but there’s not always a next step,” Laviolette explained. “That’s why I think it’s really important to focus on the growth of a team, the work you put in daily, and we were really good at that last year. But this is a new year and a new team and we need this group to focus on the work they need to put in daily.”
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There’s a good chance that Trouba — who’s super-intense anyway — will play with a sizeable chip on his shoulder this season. The trade rumors, chatter about his diminishing play and coming off a disappointing season individually likely will spur him on in 2024-25.
But there’s one thing for certain: Trouba is happy to still be with the Rangers.
“I want to stay here. I want to be here. I like living here. I love New York. My family loves it here, as everybody is now aware,” he said.
Like Drury on Tuesday and Laviolette on Wednesday, Trouba sidestepped questions about rumors he was nearly traded this past summer.
“I had good communication with the organization throughout. I don’t really have much else to comment on,” Trouba said. “There were a lot of things that were said and snowballed. … You’re going to have to find out where they came from. If you find out, let me know.”
Drury praised Trouba before camp started. So did Laviolette.
“Whatever gets said on the outside gets said on the outside,” Laviolette said Wednesday. “I don’t get too involved with that. I have a great relationship with Jacob … I thought Jacob was a really good captain for us last year. Nothing changes.”
Trouba spent the first day on ice rotating with Braden Schneider on the right side of pairings with Miller and Zac Jones. Laviolette later said that he’ll be mixing the defense pairs a bit before settling on a plan to start the season.
The 30-year-old paired with Miller for several seasons until Schneider bumped up into that spot late last season and at points in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last spring. Part of that was due to giving the up-and-coming Schneider more responsibility, especially after he and Miller excelled together.
But a dip in Trouba’s play, particularly after an ankle injury in March and in the latter stages of the postseason, plays a role here too. There’s a good chance he will be on the third pair with Jones, though Trouba would remain on the top penalty-killing unit too.
No matter his role, Trouba sees the writing on the wall. This is likely his last chance to win the Stanley Cup with the Rangers.
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