Now that Jacob Trouba is a Ranger, it’s now time to look at locking him up long-term. Trouba is an interesting case because the assumption is that he priced himself out of Winnipeg and demanded a trade. While that is true –he did ask for a trade, but because he wanted his wife to be able to practice as a medical professional, which she couldn’t do in Canada– it’s worth noting that Winnipeg’s cap issues created the crunch, not necessarily Trouba’s demands.
That’s the way the NHL works nowadays. In a cap world, tough decisions are needed and Winnipeg knew they couldn’t re-sign Trouba, regardless of his trade ask, and keep players like Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor.