Yesterday, we learned that the New York Rangers, in an effort to shake things up a bit, put a for sale sign in front of the locker of two players: Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba.
In Trouba’s case, it’s not surprising. The Rangers tried to trade him this summer, but were unsuccessful. We suspect that his days in the Big Apple are numbered.
However, he refused to leave. And at eight million dollars a year for two more years, he’s not the guy most in demand.
But the case of Chris Kreider comes a little more out of nowhere. After all, he is an important player for the identity of the Rangers and everything suggests that in the locker room, he is appreciated.
He earns $6.5 million for just under three more years.
What makes the Rangers want to trade a player like him in a season where the club is aiming for the Stanley Cup? It’s probably not just to make room for Igor’s next contract, right?
And it is probably not just because the club disappoints.
According to what Renaud Lavoie told this morning on BPM Sports, the break between the Rangers and the player happened a few months ago, during a match against the Canadian.
And it’s an interesting story.
Basically, during a game against the CH, Jim Ramsay (the director of sports medicine and performance and head athletic therapist at the CH) was ignored by the Rangers, his employer of the last 30 years. There was no tribute to him during the meeting.
Despite everything, Chris Kreider took the time to chat to him after the meeting in question at MSG.
Renaud Lavoie notes that after the match, he had to meet the media. He chose not to because he didn’t want to “represent the Rangers” due to the way Ramsay was treated.
Jacob Trouba then said that if Kreider didn’t speak, he wasn’t going to either. #Leadership101
This is (in particular) what means that the Rangers will try to trade Kreider – and Trouba – for the future. There are probably several reasons, but here’s a big one.
Clearly, a team that wants grit and talent can (must, even) call to New York for Kreider, too “injured” to play yesterday.
In burst
– Oh.
– News from Noah Corson. He is expected to receive his sentence on January 29.
– Rocket: good crowds in Laval.
– Josh Anderson plays more simply, but he doesn’t break everything either. [JdeM]
– Ouch.
