The New York Rangers are reportedly slowing down trade talks about Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider after strong backlash. Journalist Elliotte Friedman said the team is being cautious and wants to avoid rushing into decisions they might regret. Trouba has been part of trade rumors for months, but Kreider’s name was a recent surprise.
During the Saturday Headlines broadcast on Sportsnet, Friedman said:
(2:10) "The blowback (from Kreider and Trouba trade rumors) was so crazy and the results this week so poor. Until today, I think even New York wanted to tone down the heat and just pause before they jumped into anything really too intense or that they might later regret. So things kind of cooled down a bit."
"I think the interesting thing here is that the Rangers did not give anyone permission to speak to Trouba or Kreider. They want to keep control of the process, ... "
These developments have followed New York Rangers' poor performance in their last six games. Prior to their recent 4-3 win against the Montreal Canadiens, they have lost five straight games. They had a record of 12-4-1, which is now 13-9-1, placing them 4th in the Metropolitan Division.
Last Monday, Friedman reported that Rangers are considering offers on their captain Jacob Trouba, and forward Chris Kreider, among others. Speaking on The Fan Hockey Show with hosts Matt Marchese and Mike Futa, Friedman said:
"The Kreider thing is very new. Kreider does not have full no-move protection and I think there would be interest... He's the longest-serving Ranger. He could have left a few years ago and didn't — he stayed. He's a big-time emotional leader on that team. The Kreider name... it's like an earthquake."
"What we're trying to determine is, really, could they trade him? Or are they (Drury) trying to let everyone know that [they're] not happy with the way [they're] playing right now," Friedman added.
Kreider has been with the Rangers since 2012 and is an important leader on the team. He has nine goals this season but no assists. His contract allows him to block trades to 15 teams, making a move more complex.
Meanwhile, the Rangers have not given other teams permission to talk to Trouba or Kreider
New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider talked about the team's struggles this season
Chris Kreider returned from an upper-body injury and played Saturday against Montreal. He received five penalty minutes with no points in 18:22 minutes of ice time. The Rangers, with a 12-6-1 record, are still in playoff contention but need consistency. For now, they are stepping back to assess their next move.
On November 27, Kreider talked to Mollie Walker of the New York Post about the team's struggles. He said:
“I think it’s pretty obvious there’s frustration, angst, tension. Good. We’re 20 games in. Let’s go through this s**t now and figure out who we are. We had the best regular season in the history of an Original Six franchise last year, won a Presidents’ Trophy and didn’t go as far as we would’ve liked. We’re getting exposed right now."
Kreider admitted the team is being exposed for their weaknesses. He believes this tough time can help the team improve and grow stronger.
